In early spring, the first shoots of wild garlic and bluebells pop up from the woodland floor and by May, the forest is in full bloom. The delicate green leaves and a few flowers are the parts to pick rather than the whole plant for the most fragrant, fresh pesto. Just remember to only take one-fifth of the plant and leave the rest to cyclically bloom and flower for years to come.

preserving wild garlic

Once picked, give the leaves and flowers a good rinse in cold water, remove any dirt and make sure you use only use the vibrant, green leaves as opposed to the wilted ones. Then wrap it gently in a kitchen roll and store it in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to use it. From here wild garlic is really versatile, you can roughly chop the leaves and toss them through salads, omelettes or wrap them up with fish in a steamed parcel. You could also use wild garlic in place of soft herbs or spinach in pasta or broth.

Ingredients

• 30-50g wild garlic leaves

• 100ml olive oil

• 100g cashews

• 1/2 lemon

• 30g fresh basil

• salt & pepper

Method

1. Rise and dry the wild garlic making sure to remove any dirt and hiding insects.

2. Blitz all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender or food processor.

3. Transfer into an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to a week.