We know pesto mainly as an Italian delicacy, but did you know that you can also make a Dutch version from wild garlic and ground elder that just grow around us in the spring months. This wild garlic pesto tastes delicious. Delicious on toast, bread or pasta! Our wild mushroom expert Katja shares her recipe for pesto made from ground elder and wild garlic.
Dutch seven-leaf pesto?
A Dutch wild game pesto is quite similar to Italian pesto -. that recipe can be found here. This variant is another flavourful sauce made from fresh herbs, nuts, garlic, cheese and olive oil. Only in this case, we omit the traditional basil and use wild plants such as ramson and ground elder. These plants give the pesto a spicy twist. Perfect for with pasta, on bread or as a seasoning in various dishes. Before you get enthusiastic about this recipe, it is important to know a few things about ground elder, wild garlic and wild picking.
Ground elder, an edible plant packed with vitamins
Ground elder, also known as gardener's weed, is a common plant in gardens, kitchen gardens, parks, roadsides and forests. The name suggests that the plant can always be recognised by its seven leaves, but nothing could be further from the truth. Often there are seven, but very often the plant has only three, five or even nine leaves. It grows very fast, which is why people with gardens are not fond of it. Although it is often seen as a weed, it is a super-healthy little plant full of vitamins A and C, antioxidants, proteins and minerals. It is related to celery and parsley. I like ground elder with almost everything, as it has the flavour of parsley/carrot/c celery. You can use it like spinach, but it is also a treat in pestos, savoury pies, stir-fries or in a smoothie. And did you know that butterflies and bees also love on this plant? Do you have ground elder in your garden? Keep it in check, but don't remove it completely, is my advice. It's too tasty and too important for that.
Wild garlic, a type of wild garlic
Daslook is a special little plant that was protected until 2017. It is a wild plant with oblong leaves and white star-shaped flowers, mainly found in wooded, semi-shaded areas. It has a garlicky smell and taste, which makes it popular in cooking. The edible leaves are suitable for salads, pestos and soups, among other things. The star-shaped flowers are wonderful to use as a decoration for a dish, the seed pods can be pickled like capers, and the tubers below ground can be used as ‘garlic cloves’. Besides culinary uses, badger garlic also has medicinal properties. It is rich in iron and vitamin C and thus has a positive effect on the immune system.
While you should be very aware of what you are doing with any wild-picking operation, extra caution is needed with wild garlic. This is because the plant has two poisonous brothers (or sisters) that look a damn sight alike. The May Flower mentioned in the above article is often better known as the beautiful but incredibly poisonous Lily of the Valley. Not an experienced wildflower picker? Then go in search of wild garlic with a guide or plant it in your garden!
Dutch pesto from ground elder and ramson, both plants growing wild in the Netherlands. Good to know: baby ground elder can sometimes be found as early as February and grows into August or even September. Common garlic grows from March to July approximately.
Dutch wild-leaf pesto of ground elder and wild garlic
Kitchenware
- pan
- food processor or hand blender
Ingredients
- full hand of ground elder (Preferably young plantlets).
- handful of wild garlic leaves. Don't have wild garlic? Then use a clove of garlic
- handful of pumpkin seeds
- handful of sunflower seeds
- handful of grated Remeker or Nylander cheese (organic) (Vegan? Then use noble yeast flakes.)
- juice of ½ small organic lemon
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Put a pan on a medium-high heat and roast the pumpkin and sunflower seeds in it until they turn slightly brown.
- Wash the ground elder and the wild garlic. Make sure you dry it well after this.
- Put the ground elder, the wild garlic (or garlic), some generous splashes of olive oil and the cheese in a food processor and whirl it until it is a smooth paste. If necessary, add extra olive oil to blend it better.
- Then add the lemon juice, toasted seeds and some salt and pepper and mix briefly so that the seeds retain some of the texture. This is nice for the bite.
- Serve on toast and ta-da: a delicious appetiser! The pesto is also delicious to use as a sauce with pasta.
Delicious to take with you on a picnic, but this Dutch pesto of ground elder and wild garlic also looks great on a drinks board.
Taking a picking break: do you know the game picking rules yet?
Wild picking is not only super fun (and tasty!), but also something you need to know a little about. It is officially banned in the Netherlands, but in many places it is turned a blind eye - as long as you do it properly. Think of nature as a wonderful buffet we can all taste from, but only if we behave. So pick with love, not greed. Want to know more? Read the unwritten rules of wild picking. We have listed it for you!
Would you also like to go on the road with Katja? Check out her website Wilderlust with all the information about its wild-picking walks and courses.
More game picking tips from thegreenlist.nl
- Want to know more about wild picking? Saskia went on a wild-picking walk in Amsterdam.
- Also tasty and fun to make yourself: dip sauce with garlic-without-look.
- Another tasty homemade recipe: badger garlic salt!
Photo credits: main image: wilderlust.nl, other: thegreenlist.nl.
