Wild Garlic Pesto

Over the weekend I managed to get out for my first foray of the year, obviously I've not kept track of time because when I went to my local park I was shocked at how far into the season we've actually come. There was Wild Garlic as far as the eye could see. It was growing on the riverbank, the damp slopes leading up the hill & on the forrest floor.

It's always exciting for us chefs when its spring time as we have a light flavoursome larder starting to emerge after a winter of heavy ingredients. If you've never been foraging before then you need to know what your looking for before you go and just start picking random things out the ground. Wild garlic is a great one to start with, the smell alone will keep you right. The air is stinking with it and its unmistakeable, you've probably walked through a park several times and wondered why it smells like a french bistro..

Wild Garlic pesto:

100g Fresh wild garlic leaf
40g Basil
40g Parsley
40g Spinach
50g Toasted pine nuts
50g Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
250ml Olive oil
Salt

You can make this one of two ways, the traditional way in a pestle & mortar or in a Blender, either way is good but using a blender will save a lot of time if your in a rush.

Firstly wash all your herbs by dipping them into a basin of cold water several times to make sure you have no beasties on them then pat dry with a cloth. Place your herbs into the blender and pulse until you have a course paste, don't make it too fine. Lightly toast off your pine nuts in a hot pan or in a hot oven, you're looking for a caramel colour. Try not take your eye off them, if they burn then they taste horrid. Place them into the blender with the parmesan and a pinch of salt and pulse again. Slowly add your olive oil bit by bit until you have the right consistency, your looking for a sauce but not a wet one; just a wet paste that falls down on the plate. Check the seasoning once more just to be sure your spot on.
If your a little wary with regards to nuts then by all means keep them out of the recipe, the French use this sauce a lot minus pine nuts. They call it Pistou & it comes from Provence.
This sauce can be used for a vast array of things from Pasta, potato salad, topping fish & even to top your soup with. Its a great flavour that can be used for almost anything. If stored correctly in an air tight tub in the fridge then it'll last a good 4 or 5 days.

Enjoy...