I have been thinking for ages about doing a course in wild foraging as I think it would be really useful and interesting to know more about easily accessible wild foods all around us …how to identify…cook and so on. However, then lockdown happened and one day when checking out my emails I read an email from www.pebblemag.com
They recommended a book by Tiffany Frances called ‘Food you can Forage’ so I thought I would treat myself.
https://www.instagram.com/tiffany.francis/
The book is divided into different countryside areas to forage in, plants to identify and in what seasons. At the back of the book there are some recipe suggestions.
I took my book and a bag into the woods with a friend and collected some wild garlic leaves and that evening made a wild garlic pesto – I have to say that it was delicious and so much nicer than bought pesto. I thought I would share the recipe from the book for you with some added ideas of mine.
Pesto Primavera
wild garlic leaves 100g
nettle or garlic mustard
10 fresh basil leaves
old winchester cheese (vegan) or cornish quartz cheddar grated 60g (actually I used fresh parmesan)
pine nuts 50g toasted and chopped (I used cashew nuts as they are cheaper and work just as well)
olive oil 140ml (cold pressed is the best)
sea or rock salt
Wash leaves and set aside. When dry pop leaves, basil, cheese, nuts and salt into a processor and blend until coarsely chopped. Add glugs of oil one at a time to the processor and whizz until you are happy with the consistency. Enjoy with your freshly cooked pasta!
Alternatively transfer the mix into a sterilised jar and when full, cover the top with a layer of oil to seal it in. Use fresh or within a few weeks.