Wild garlic spelt risotto.

Mark Hix recipe: Wild garlic spelt risotto | The Independent:
Mark Hix recipe:
This tasty, cheap dish makes a great starter or vegetarian main course.
The puréed wild garlic comes into play here, giving the risotto a vibrant green colour.

1 large onion, peeled, halved, finely chopped
2tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
160-180g spelt, soaked in cold water for a couple of hours
1.5ltrs vegetable stock, or a couple of good stock cubes dissolved in the same amount of boiling water
A handful of wild garlic leaves and stems, washed and roughly chopped
A couple of tbsp of wild garlic purée
80g unsalted butter, diced

For the wild garlic purée

2-3 handfuls of wild garlic leaves and stems, washed and dried
120-150ml rapeseed oil

First make the purée: simply blend the wild garlic in a liquidiser with the rapeseed oil, until smooth, then it can be stored in a sterilised preserving jar in the fridge for up to six months.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan and gently cook the onion for 2-3 minutes, without colouring. Drain the spelt and add it to the onion; season, then gradually add the stock, ensuring each addition has been absorbed before adding the next.

Cook for 15-20 minutes, until the spelt is tender but not too soft. Add a couple of tablespoons of the purée, the wild garlic and the butter. The risotto should be a little sloppy; add more stock if you need to and season to taste. Serve immediately.

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Scones with fresh ramps & cheese.

Scones with fresh ramps & cheese – An old favorite goes savory » delicious:days:
Savory scones have been on my to-try-list for ages, but it took my Küchengötter-colleagues’ request for a recipe with fresh ramps (wild garlic) to bring those two together.
Having tried different recipes with ramps over the last week, I was full of confidence that my all-time favorite recipe for sweet scones would play along nicely, still, I didn’t expect the outcome to be that awesome.
I had just dropped off some of the new creation with ramps and cheese at my friend Kristin and she called me, still chewing on the last bite: “These are SO good!”
So if you are looking for a no-fuss appetizer to start a typical spring menu, this is it.
Prepared in no time, best served with your favorite butter (find this scones recipe in German over at Küchengötter).

Ingredients (9 scones):
200g all-purpose flour, plus more for handling the dough
1,5 tsp baking powder
1 tsp fine sea salt
25 g freshly grated parmesan cheese
about a handful of fresh ramps (~15 g chopped)
60g cold butter
~130g milk
for brushing: 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk
3-4 tbsp freshly grated cheese (e.g. parmesan, pecorino, mountain cheese)

Line a baking tray with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 220°C (425° Fahrenheit).
Wash ramps, pad dry and finely chop the greens with a large knife (~15 grams).

The dough can easily be prepared with a food processor:
Add flour, baking powder, salt, grated parmesan cheese and the chopped ramps to the bowl, then mix until evenly distributed.
Now add the really cold butter in cubes and pulse for a couple of times until you can spot no butter pieces that are larger than small peas. Lastly add the milk and pulse shortly, just until the dough comes together.

By hand: In a large bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, grated parmesan cheese and the chopped ramps. Cut the really cold butter into small cubes and add them to the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or your fingertips to rub it in until there are no butter pieces that are larger than small peas.
Finally stir in the milk with a spoon until the dough comes together and doesn’t show big nests of dry flour anymore.

Dump the rather sticky dough onto a well floured board, generously sprinkle with flour and knead very shortly to ensure a fluffy crumb (overkneading results in tough scones), then form into a square (~14 cm*14 cm/5,5 inch), about 3 cm (~1,25 inch) thick. Use a long knife to cut it into 9 equally sized squares (dipping the knife edge into flour after each cut makes it easier).

Place the scones onto the prepared baking tray.
Lightly beat the egg yolk with one tbsp of milk and brush the tops of the scones before topping them with some grated cheese.
Bake on middle level for 12 to 13 minutes or until nicely browned.
If the cheese topping still lacks color after 10 minutes you might want to turn on the oven’s grill feature (but watch closely!).
Let cool on a wire rack or serve while still warm.
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Wild Garlic Focaccia.

Wild Garlic Focaccia:
This Wild Garlic recipe (Ramsons) with the grains of salt and the soft oil on top of the fluffy bread is quite simply perfection.

This is my basic bread recipe that I use for simple loaves and rolls with other types of flour. I think the texture is better for focaccia if it is made from white flour but feel free to play with other combinations.

Ingredients
600g strong white plain flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 level teaspoons easy-mix dried yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
400g warm water
Topping
50g ramsons, washed and finely sliced
Salt and pepper
30g freshly grated parmesan cheese
About 50g olive oil
Instructions
Place the flour, salt and yeast in a large bowl and mix together. Add the water and oil and mix together with a wooden spoon. Either turn out onto a lightly floured table and knead for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, or use a table mixer and knead for 5 minutes on the lowest speed. Either way, do not allow the dough to become dry especially if you are kneading by hand, by adding extra flour. As you knead the dough will become silkier in texture and less likely to cling to hands or table.
Return the dough to a reasonably clean bowl. Cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until double in size. This will probably take up to 2 hours.
Line 2 baking trays that are about 22cm by 32cm (or use one large tray) with baking parchment.
Lightly dust the work surface with flour, turn out the dough and flatten with your hands. Divide in half and either roll out to the size of the trays or push out with your hands. If the dough stiffens and will not flatten, then leave it to relax for 5-10 minutes and try again. Place in the trays and sprinkle with the prepared ramsons, seasoning and cheese. Leave to rise once again for about 40 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 220ºC gas 7
When the dough has risen, dribble the top generously with the oil and use your fingers to dimple the surface so the oil collects in the depressions. Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes when it should be a pale golden brown. Lift out of the trays using the paper and place on a cooling rack, sliding the paper from underneath so the steam can escape and preventing the bread from going soggy.
Wild Garlic Focaccia [Eat Weeds]
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Wild garlic.

Wild garlic: what to do with nature's most delicious (and free) ingredient.
The season for wild garlic leaves is short – they're gone by June.
This time of year, early March, you will find the wild garlic poking up in low-lying places by streams and protected woods.
Make sure you pick away from dogs and roads and don’t trespass: the wild garlic might be free, but the landowner may not appreciate your picking!
I take a carrier bag with me, fill it up and it will last perfectly in the fridge for a week.
Wild garlic leaves are best when very tender, so pick when the garlic is just coming up.
Choose small tender leaves - the moment the garlic begins to flower, the leaves become too strong and brash in flavour.
But the flowers do make a pretty addition to spring salads.
Use wild garlic instead of spinach leaves, mix and match.
It goes well with watercress.
Add it to your favourite pasta sauces, or use wild garlic for a tangy pesto that makes a versatile addition dip, pasta sauce or filling for your favourite foods - especially mushrooms.
Wash well before cooking with foraged plants.



Pan-baked eggs with wild garlic and tomatoes.
Serves 2
Inspired by Turkish egg recipes, this makes a good brunch.
2 eggs – duck eggs would be especially good
A double handful of young garlic leaves, coarse stems removed
2tbsp Olive oil
6 plum tomatoes (tinned out of season)
a pinch of smoked paprika
2tbsp Greek yoghurt.
Wash and roughly chop the wild garlic and tomatoes. Heat the oil in a frying frying pan (one around 8inches/20cm across) and add the tomatoes and wild garlic with the paprika and a fat pinch of salt. Cook until the garlic is wilting and the mixture is no longer watery – it will be a squash at first, but the garlic will shrink down. Make two hollows in the mix and break an egg in each. Season with salt and pepper and cover the pan. Cook gently for about 7minutes until the eggs are set. Serve with a spoonful of Greek yoghurt and an extra trickle of olive oil.

Wild garlic salsa verde.
Pungent wild garlic makes a gorgeous salsa verde for dolloping on fish, chicken or lamb.
6 wild garlic leaves
leaves from a small bunch of basil (about 15g/ 1/2oz)
leaves from a small bunch of mint (about 15g/ 1/2oz)
2tbsp capers in vinegar, drained
4 tinned anchovies, chopped
3tbsp olive oil
1tbsp coriander seed
lemon juice
Chop the garlic, basil and mint into peppercorn sized pieces. Mix with the capers, olive oil and coriander seed. Season with salt and lemon juice, adding more olive oil if necessary to make a nice consistency. This will keep a day or two in the fridge.

Wild garlic pesto.
Makes 1 small jar
50g wild garlic leaves, washed
30g pinenuts, lightly toasted
30g Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
80ml olive oil, plus extra to cover
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

The simplest method is to put everything except the oil in a food processor, blitz for a few seconds, then continue to whiz while slowly adding the olive oil through the funnel.
Transfer to a jar, pour sufficient olive oil on top to keep the pesto covered, close the lid and store it in the fridge.
It will keep for several weeks as the top is covered with a layer of olive oil.

Wild garlic, potato and chorizo tortilla.
Recipes by River Cottage.
Ingredients
1 handful of wild garlic
leaves, rinsed
100g of good quality
chorizo sausage sliced
into small chunks
200g cooked potatoes
cut into cubes
4 large organic eggs
1 large onion, peeled
and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
A small handful of fennel leaf tops (optional)
50g butter
A dash of olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Heat a heavy-based non-stick frying pan over a medium heat.
Add a dash of olive oil and the butter.
When the butter is foaming, add the onions and chorizo.
Cook while tossing regularly for six to eight minutes or until the onions are soft and the chorizo has given up some of its well-flavoured fat.
Add the potatoes and toss them about the pan.
Cook for further four or five minutes.
Now slice the garlic leaves thinly and scatter into the pan.
Turn everything together.

Beat the eggs in a bowl and season with salt and pepper.
Pour the eggs over the chorizo and potatoes; give the pan a little shake.
At this point you can either gently cook the frittata on the hob or place it in a medium-hot oven until the eggs are just set. It should take only a few minutes to cook through.
Scatter with parsley and fennel leaves and serve warm with a simply dressed green salad.

Wild Garlic Frittata
Serves: 2
Dietary: Gluten Free
Ingredients:
1 medium potato peeled and diced very small
1 tbsp olive oil
4 eggs
50g ricotta
25g vegetarian style Parmesan, grated
1 large handful of young wild garlic leaves, chopped roughly
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
In a 24cm frying pan, one without a plastic handle, heat the olive oil and gently sauté the potato, with a lid on until cooked, which takes about 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with 2/3rds of the ricotta and parmesan, add the wild garlic and season with salt and pepper.
Add the egg mix to the potatoes and cook on a gentle heat, until almost set.
You will need to run a heatproof spatula around the frittata to stop it from sticking.
Pre-heat the grill.
Scatter the remaining ricotta and parmesan over the top of the frittata and grill until the top is golden.
Serve at once cut into wedges with roast balsamic tomatoes, and wild garlic leaves drizzled with your favourite nut or olive oil.
Tips:
Flavour frittatas with what ever is in season, spring onions and peas with chervil, steamed asparagus tips with fresh mint, sweet tomatoes with basil or wild mushrooms with tarragon.

Wild garlic, courgette and mint soup.
Angela Hartnett's recipe.
(Serves four, as a starter)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion sliced
6 courgettes sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 bunch wild garlic
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped

Put two tablespoons of olive oil into a large pan.
Add the onion and saute for a couple of minutes.
Before the onion loses any colour, add the courgette and the crushed garlic clove.

Season and saute for another minute or two, cover with water and bring to a simmer to soften.

When the vegetables are cooked through (10 minutes maximum), remove the pan from the heat and add the chopped wild garlic and mint – the residual heat from the soup will cook the wild garlic.
If it's too thick, add a little water to thin it out.

Blend, check seasoning, finish with a little olive oil and serve.
Cool quickly over iced water if you don't plan to eat it straight away – this keeps the lovely green colour.

Spinach, Wild Garlic and Ricotta Malfatti
The spinach and ricotta dumplings called "Malfatti" translate to "poorly made" in Italian, a reference to their large, rustic shape.
Malfatti means misshapen, so don't worry if they end up not being perfectly round. Malfatti are made of the filling for ravioli, but instead of being encased in pasta dough, they are boiled like gnocchi.
Ingredients:
500g spinach
125g wild garlic leaves
100g ricotta
20g parmesan, grated
1 ½ tbsps plain flour
20g butter, softened
pinch of nutmeg
pinch chilli flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
Lemon Thyme Cream:
1 tsp butter
1 shallot, finely diced
zest of 1/2 lemon
75ml white wine
1 tbsp lemon juice
140ml single cream
3 sprigs thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method:
Wash the spinach and wild garlic leaves and then place them in a large saucepan.
Over a low heat let the spinach wilt, there will be enough water in the spinach to cook it sufficiently.
Drain the spinach and then squeeze all the water out. It is essential that the spinach is as dry as possible otherwise the malfatti will fall apart.
Chop the spinach and wild garlic and combine it with the ricotta, parmesan, flour, butter, nutmeg and chilli flakes and season.
Taste for seasoning and then mix in the egg.
Leave the mix to rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Make the mix into about 16 walnut sized balls.
Very lightly dust in flour, to stop them sticking together.
Bring a saucepan of water to a gentle simmer and then carefully drop the malfatti into the water about 8 at a time.
Simmer gently for 8 minutes.
Take them out with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a buttered dish, whilst you cook the others.
To make the sauce In a small saucepan heat the butter with the shallot, thyme and lemon zest and fry until the shallots soften and start to colour.
Add the white wine and lemon juice and simmer gently to reduce by half.
Stir in the cream and add salt and lots of black pepper.
To serve, pour a little of the lemon thyme cream around the malfatti, and top with fresh thyme leaves and parmesan shavings if you want. Serve at once.

Wild Garlic Recipes | Demuths:
Wild Garlic Pesto
Gluten-Free Wild Garlic and Cheese Cornbread
Wild Garlic Soup
Wild Garlic Frittata
Spinach and Wild Garlic Malfatti
Wild Garlic Risotto
Wild Garlic Focaccia [Eat Weeds]
Wild Garlic & Cheese Scones [Delicious Days]
Spelt & Wild Garlic Risotto [Mark Hix]
Wild Garlic Croquettes - A croquette is a small breadcrumbed fried food roll [Riverford]
Wild Garlic Hummus [Nami-Nami]
Wild Garlic, Nettle & Leek Hummus [Ethical Chef]
Wild Garlic, Potato, Feta & Pine Nut Quiche [Allotment2Kitchen]

Seasonal food by month.

BBC - Food - Seasons: "Seasonal food by month"
January: Seville and blood oranges.
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