The surest sign of spring is the first vibrant green leaves of wild garlic or Bärlauch. It's abundant in the woods right now and is delicious whipped into this quick and easy pesto.
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Total Time 10 minutesmins
Serves 10(2-3 small jars)
Ingredients
100gwild garlic greens
75gsunflower seeds or pine nuts
125mlolive oil or sunflower oil
50ggrated Parmesan or Grana Padano cheese
½tspsea salt
a squeeze of lemon juice
freshly ground black pepper
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
PREPARE: Wash the garlic greens well under running water, then spin them in a salad spinner or pat dry with a paper towel. Chop roughly, then place in the bowl of a food processor along with the sunflower seeds.
PROCESS PESTO: Process the leaves and seeds to a rough paste, then, with the motor running, drizzle in the oil until you have a smooth paste. Adding a dash of cold water will help to thin the pesto if necessary.
ADD FLAVOURING: Stir through the Parmesan, salt, lemon juice and pepper, then taste and correct seasoning as necessary.
STORE: Store in a clean, sterilised jar or airtight container in the fridge or freezer, covering the top of the pesto with a layer of oil to keep the colour fresh and to stop oxidisation.
Notes
Olive oil will set in the fridge, changing to an opaque colour. Don't worry; the olive oil will return to normal as soon as your pesto warms up.
When freezing, either freeze in jars, leaving a small amount of space at the top, or in ice cube trays. The little blocks of pesto are great for adding to soups and stews straight from the freezer!