Wild Garlic Butter

Monday, April 20, 2015

Sometimes learning not to take something for granted has to be learnt the hard way. Once upon a time, I lived in a cottage on hundreds of acres of land, that sprouted wild garlic from anywhere it could. You could literally look down, without the smallest need for searching and find bunches of it. So when I left that magical place (Ireland), imagine my sadness, after searching the land far and wide, to find (or not find) not a trace of wild garlic. 

Well, it's wild garlic season, people and I finally found some! After visiting several farmers markets in one week and having one guy snort at me that he wished he grew wild garlic, because it would be a gold mine, I felt like I'd found a four leaf clover when I got my hands on a bunch! Of course, I went home to immediately make use of it. 

If you haven't heard of the stuff, you're welcome. But also, you should know that it's what grows on the outside (of the ground) that counts. The leaves are what you want here, not the bulbs like regular garlic (So last season. Just kidding, garlic will always have my heart too). The leaves taste exactly like garlic and if you happen to walk through an area where it's growing you'll know it, because you'll smell it. They grow with cute little white flowers on them and you can eat a piece straight from the ground, to make yourself feel all young and wild and free but watch out for Lily of The Valley, which looks a lot like it but tastes less like garlic and more like poison (because it is)!  

Stay tuned for all kinds of ways to use it, while it's still sprouting! For now, do what I did and spread it on anything you'd spread butter on. It's highly effective. 


Wild Garlic Butter

Keeps for 7-10 days

YOU WILL NEED:
250G UNSALTED BUTTER (PREFERABLY GRASS FED AND ORGANIC)
ONE BIG BUNCH OF WILD GARLIC LEAVES
SEA SALT 

Blend the wild garlic and butter in a food processor until smooth, add a generous pinch of salt and blend once more. 

Roll into a compact log in parchment paper, into a tupperware or back into the butter container. 

Enjoy on warm bread or simply toss into some spaghetti with a sprinkle of parmesan.