You can eat not only the leaves and flowers of ramson, even after flowering the plant is still very useful. The green seed pods that appear once the petals have fallen are crunchy and full of flavour. Perfect for pickling like capers. Mini flavour bombs that are a feast on your tongue. So does our game picking expert Katja Wezel of wilderlust.nl so too.
Badger garlic, a type of garlic
Badger garlic is one of the first spring plants you see in the wild. You can recognise it by its broad, pointed leaves and the strong smell of garlic - because yes, wild garlic belongs to the garlic family. In April and May it blooms with small, white flowers that fan out in a star-shaped fashion. Not only delicious, but also healthy: wild garlic is full of vitamin C and contains sulphur compounds that are good for your resistance. After flowering, around late May to early June, the green seed capsules form. And it is these that are perfect for this recipe. You find them in the same places as the plant itself: in deciduous forests, in damp shady places and often in large groups. Make sure you are 100% sure you have picked ramson - its leaves resemble those of lily of the valley, which is poisonous.
This is how to make wild garlic capers
Kitchenware
- glass jar (preferably with lid)
- scale
- measuring cup
- optional: small colander or cheesecloth for sifting
Ingredients
- handful of wild garlic seed pods
- 330 ml cold water
- 10 gr salt
- 330 ml apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- First make the brine by dissolving the salt in the cold water.
- Put the seed pods in the glass jar and pour the brine over them until everything is well submerged.
- Close the jar and put it in the fridge for two months.
- After two months, pour off the brine. Leave the seed pods in the jar and pour over them with apple cider vinegar.
- Leave the jar in the fridge for at least another two weeks.
- Then your wild garlic capers are ready to be used! Delicious through a salad, on a drinks board or as a spicy topping on a vegetable dish. You can use them the rest of the year - as long as your stock lasts, of course.
Neat game picking
Picking wild garlic is a wonderful pastime, but do it with respect for nature. Wild garlic picking is tolerated in the Netherlands, which means you can only harvest for your own use. So never take more than you really need and always leave enough - for the plant itself, for insects and for other pickers. Badger chives often grow in large groups, but can easily get over-picked locally. Also, always check if you are in a protected nature reserve, where stricter rules sometimes apply. Want to know more about what to look out for? Here is a handy overview of the game picking rules.
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 wild-picking inspiration
- A recipe for eand soothing wildflower tea with chamomile.
- Dandelions are also edible. So you can make delicious vegan honey Or make lemonade from it.
- Cool outing: On wild-picking walk in the Amsterdam forest.
Photo credits: Marty Keizer.
