Wild garlic season, plus a few recipe ideas

Wild garlic season is well and truly underway right now and I have been getting through it like nobodys business. We do grow a little in the garden which I planted underneath some trees at the bottom of the garden in the hope that it would spread and spread over time, but as there's still not that much I have mostly been collecting it from the woods nearby where there's an abundance at this time of year. Related to wild garlic also are three cornered leeks but I'll perhaps talk on these more another time. 

As I have mentioned pretty much everywhere, post covid I have completely lost my sense of smell and am currently working on getting it back, but luckily I know anyway where all the wild garlic hotspots are around here. In normal times though, it is easily identifiable just from the sheer strength of the scent. 

You can eat it in lots of ways but as a rule of thumb I always think it behaves just like spinach so I add it in cooking wherever I would usually add spinach and where I want a strong garlic flavour. 

So I thought I'd share a few ways that I have been enjoying it recently, the first and perhaps most simple way, is wilted, like spinach either in an omelette or with eggs. It's so quick and delicious like this you simply pick it, wash it well and then place in a frying pan with a little oil or butter until wilted and serve. The perfect alternative to spinach, and even nicer, perhaps at a weekend, when the garlic and egg and then smothered with hollandaise sauce- a nicer breakfast you will not find!

The next way is added into homemade butter, now if you don't make your own you could also finely chop the garlic then take some butter and place it altogether in a bowl along with some salt and perhaps some parsley and mix it well, then pop it back onto some greaseproof paper or clingfilm and shape into a little log. 

Lastly are my favourite wild garlic and mushroom baked eggs. Quite like a sort of green shakshuka, you just fry off some mushrooms, add the garlic into the pan until wilted then mix in a few spoonfuls of creme fraiche and grated hard cheese, place in a baking dish, make a few holes for some eggs, crack those into said holes and bake. So quick and easy and so very good. I shared this one on my Instagram and honestly so many people messaged saying they'd tried it and loved it too. 

So a couple of ideas to get you started, please do let me know if you try any of them and if you know any better ways to enjoy this wonderful seasonal ingredient.