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Wild Garlic and Basil Pesto with Baobab

 

If you follow me on Instagram you probably noticed my excitement on finding some wild garlic.

For years I've been looking enviously at other people's recipes for wild garlic, but I've never found any.  I wasn't sure if I was unlucky or just useless at identifying it.

So how did I find it this time?



I have a dog!

Yep, that's it.

We were walking through the woods at the edge of our local country park when our mad dog bounded out of the burn and sat down right beside it. A whole field of the stuff. I had no idea!

When I got home, I gave it a good wash and blended it into the most delicious green pesto we enjoyed mixed through spaghetti. Simple but delicious.

So next time you're walking in woods, have a look beside burns (streams) for some wild garlic. When you smell it you'll know exactly what it is. Maybe you already know just where to find some.



In this recipe I used the wild garlic in place of garlic. I added olive oil, basil, salted cashew nuts, black pepper and baobab powder. You'll have noticed I add baobab to smoothies, but I also add baobab to pesto, hummus and pizza sauce. I like to add extra nutrients where I can.

I also added veggie parmesan. I usually make my pesto dairy-free, but Graham was away, so I thought I'd make it a more traditional pesto, although to be honest, it's just as good without it.


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Wild Garlic & Basil Pesto with Baobab
A rich green pesto made with wild garlic. Quickly whizzed up in a blender and great served on pasta, in wraps or on bruschetta.
Ingredients
  • 30g wild garlic
  • 20g fresh basil
  • 25g veggie or vegan parmesan
  • 100g salted cashews
  • 1 tsp baobab powder
  • a good grinding of black pepper
  • 100ml olive oil
Instructions
1. Wash and pat dry the wild garlic and basil.2. Add all the ingredients to a blender and whizz. I used my Optimum 9200 Next Generation power blender, but you can use any blender or even a pestle and mortar.3. Whizz until it still has a bit of texture.4. Keep in a sealed jar or tub in the fridge topped up with olive oil until you need it. It will keep happily in the fridge for a few days.5. Enjoy!
Details
Total time:
Yield: 1 jar of pesto




Disclosure: I was sent some Baobab Powder a while back by Aduna who work with local communtiies in Africa and as you know I work with Froothie who distributes Optimum blenders. I was not asked expected to write a positive review and any opinions expressed are my own.

11 comments

  1. What a clever dog, mine is useless at finding wild garlic :)) I would love to try your recipe with wild garlic, sounds delicious.

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    1. I think it may have been an accidental find, but let's give him the credit anyway :)

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  2. I actually found wild garlic once in Scotland! We more commonly have wild garlicky onion mix bulbs just growing beside water here -- it's not quite entirely garlic, nor solely onion, but you can indeed smell it once you've come upon it.

    Huxley has some skills! Who knew?! Truffles next, do you think? ;)

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    1. Wouldn't that be great, but highly unlikely I think, You can sure smell the wild garlic too. It was almost overpowering as I washed it.

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  3. I'm glad you have finally found your own patch of wild garlic. You will go back year after year, with a carrier bag and scissors. It's quite addictive finding free food, isn't it? Pesto with it is always a good call. And adding nutritious baobab powder is a lovely sour tweak. Now, if Huxley could also find you some truffles!

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    1. I'll definitely go back now I've found it. I think Huxley would be more likely to find chocolate truffles.

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  4. that is really exciting that you have found some wild garlic - I have had it in dried form and find it interesting - am sure I would be v excited to find any in the wild - not sure it grows in Australia - if it does I wouldn't know if I tripped over it and our cat wouldn't lead us to it :-)

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    1. Oh I didn't know you couold get it fried. You should smell the fresh. POW! It's strong. No, not sure a cat would be interested in tracking any down.

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  5. oooh, I still have some wild garlic in my freezer, I can make this! It looks glorious and I know that aroma is just so wonderful... we found our patch on a walk but it wasn't the dog who found it, it was my mum! She stumbled across it. Very clever sniffer she has!

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  6. Me too, where's my wild garlic, well I hope I will just come across some like you too - I'm going to take my Dolly out (golden retriever) and see if she can find some lol

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