As of: March 8, 2024, 10:22 a.m
By: Sandra Keck
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The short wild garlic season has begun and with it the hunt for wild garlic.
We'll explain where you can find it and what you should pay attention to.
There's something in the air when you walk in the forest - a very special smell of garlic?
An unmistakable sign that the short wild garlic season, much anticipated by foodies, has begun.
From mid-March, but by April at the latest, wild garlic covers huge areas of forest and meadows near the river like a light green carpet.
It exudes a delicate garlic aroma, which is particularly effective when used as a pesto, such as in these wild garlic cruffins.
In this article you will find out everything you need to know about collecting and preparing wild garlic (symbolic image).
© S847 / Getty Images / Canva.com
Where can you find wild garlic?
Wild garlic grows wild in forests and wet areas, especially in Europe and Asia.
You can often find it in the undergrowth and in shady spots.
Once you find what you are looking for, please don't start picking wildly.
In some areas, wild garlic is protected or sometimes on private property, so it is not allowed to be harvested there or only in small quantities.
In addition, the herb is an important part of the food chain in many ecosystems.
Therefore, only take as much with you as you really need.
This will pay off for you next year, because if enough wild garlic is left at the site where it was found, it will grow there again next year.
This saves you a search if you can remember the location.
Be careful, risk of confusion: This is what wild garlic looks like
A wild garlic rarely comes alone (symbolic image).
© Gabriele Hanke / IMAGO
Do you spontaneously come across wild garlic on a spring walk in the forest and are you really happy about your culinary find?
Understandable, but is the plant you discovered really wild garlic?
You should really look closely here, because wild garlic is often confused with lily of the valley or autumn crocus.
Both plants are poisonous and must not be eaten under any circumstances as they can have serious health consequences.
This is how you don't give a chance of a mix-up:
Wild garlic:
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Appearance: A single leaf emerging from the ground as a stem.
The leaf looks as if it was once folded in half and has a leaf scar on the back.
The back of wild garlic is dull.
Flowers: single, elongated buds.
Smell: aromatic and intensely garlicky.
Location: Moist deciduous forests and meadows near rivers.
Lily of the valley and autumn crocus:
Stems and leaves: The leaves grow in pairs from a stem and are shiny on the underside.
Flowers: The flowers of lily of the valley are reminiscent of small bells and autumn crocus usually only bloom in autumn and look like crocuses.
Smell: no typical garlic smell.
Location: Autumn crocus is more likely to be found in meadows and lilies of the valley, such as wild garlic, in the forest.
Wild garlic can easily be confused with lily of the valley and autumn crocus (symbolic image).
© Manfred Ruckszio / IMAGO
If you are unsure, then it is better to buy fresh wild garlic for your recipes at the weekly market or supermarket!
How does wild garlic stay fresh longer?
After picking, you should wrap wild garlic in a damp kitchen towel and store it in the vegetable compartment of your refrigerator.
It stays there for about two days.
Therefore, it is better to pick and use straight away.
The older the wild garlic, the less aroma it has.
To extend the wild garlic season a little, you can freeze wild garlic or pickle it in oil.
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Why does everyone think wild garlic is so great?
Is it just because of the short availability that the majority find wild garlic so special?
True to the motto “Be a star, make yourself rare”?
Could be a reason, but maybe it's due to these two reasons: firstly, wild garlic is a great spice for many dishes and secondly, it also has some health-promoting properties.
For example, wild garlic contains lots of vitamins C and E, as well as minerals such as iron and magnesium.
Wild garlic is said to have a positive effect on the immune system.
Newly in love with spring thanks to wild garlic?
In addition to all the information, entertainment shouldn't be neglected:
Did you know that wild garlic is also said to have an aphrodisiac effect?
Supposedly, wars were fought over the best wild garlic locations in the Middle Ages!
But don't worry, you don't have to go into the forest and fight for wild garlic to boost your love life.
A bit of wild garlic in a salad or on pizza certainly can't hurt.
What delicious things you can conjure up from wild garlic
Simply Tasty has come up with delicious dishes with wild garlic.
© Simply Tasty
We love wild garlic for its spicy, garlicky taste.
Here are some dishes you can cook with wild garlic:
Wild garlic pesto:
the classic and a simple way to preserve wild garlic for a long time.
To keep your wild garlic pesto nice and green, you can freeze it after filling it into airtight screw-top jars.
The pesto tastes good with pasta or as a filling for delicious turkey rolls.
Wild garlic risotto:
A creamy risotto with wild garlic tastes delicious.
Also delicious in combination with asparagus.
Wild garlic butter:
Simply mix with soft butter and a little sea salt and you have an aromatic wild garlic butter that can be used as a spread, for cooking vegetables or meat or even when grilling.
Wild garlic salt:
Versatile in use, inexpensive to prepare and also great as a last-minute gift from the kitchen.
To do this, mix the wild garlic with coarse sea salt well in a food processor and then let it dry in the oven.
Be prepared for your apartment to smell like garlic for three days afterwards - I speak from personal experience.
These are just a few examples of wild garlic dishes, because the possibilities are almost endless.
So let your creativity run wild and use the green wonder herb to give your food a subtle garlic note.
Overall, wild garlic is not only a delicious herb, but also an interesting plant with some special properties.
If you pay attention to the environment when collecting and follow a few rules, you can get the best out of wild garlic - and also have a good time collecting and finding it.