One of the telltale signs of early spring for me is the lashings of wild garlic that we find growing in local woodland. These bright green leaves flourish from March onwards, and sprout delicate white flowers at the end of the garlic season, around May. Wild garlic is one of the easiest things to forage in the UK, and not just that, but it has so many delicious uses! In this article, you’ll learn how to make easy wild garlic oil, with a recipe that takes less than half an hour!
So, how do you make wild garlic oil? Start by washing your leaves and drying. Next, heat your leaves with your chosen oil (olive or sunflower oil works best). Keep the mixture simmering on low for around 15 minutes. Once cool, blend the mixture before straining it through a fine sieve. Add to a sterilised air-tight container and enjoy!
Read on for the full wild garlic oil recipe. Plus, learn how to store, use, and freeze your garlic oil!
What Does Wild Garlic Look Like?
Wild garlic grows in abundance in British woodlands, usually nestled between bluebells and trees in shady areas. It grows in clusters from the ground, with pointed leaves that are between 10-20 cm long.
From April and May, wild garlic is identified through small delicate white flowers, which grow in the middle of the plant. Although the flowers are perfectly fine to eat, we’d recommend picking your garlic leaves earlier in the season for the best flavours (older leaves sometimes taste bitter).
If you’d like to learn more about the fruit and vegetables that are in season at this time of year, read our Month-By-Month Seasonal Eating Guide.
Take a look at the image below:
What is Wild Garlic Oil Good For?
Wild garlic oil is just as versatile as your classic olive oil. We’ve outlined a few of our favourite uses below:
- Pesto (this recipe from BBC Good Food is great!)
- Salsa Verde
- Chicken Kievs
- Garlic Butter
- Salad Dressings
- Topping Soups (read our easy recipe for creamy butternut squash soup here)
- Chimichurri
- Garlic Salt
- Roasting Potatoes
- Dipping Crudités
If you’d like to find out how you can create an impressive crudités platter with fresh hummus, pesto, and your wild garlic oil, read our recent blog – ‘What Is a Crudités Platter & How Do You Keep One Fresh?’
Method
Follow these steps to make our Wild Garlic Oil
Firstly, wash your leaves in a tub of cold water and salt to remove any dirt and debris. After this, you can rinse the leaves as an extra step of precaution. Once completed, dry your leaves using a salad spinner or by simply folding them in between a dry tea towel.
On gentle heat, bring your chosen oil up to a simmer before adding some or all of your leaves. The beauty of this recipe is that you can make the oil as strong or as mild as you like! Your wild garlic will shrink when heated up, so don’t be afraid if your garlic leaves look bigger than your quantity of oil at this moment in time.
After 15 minutes, remove your wild garlic oil from the heat. At this stage, you can also add some optional salt and pepper if you wish, but this isn’t necessary. Once cooled, use your stick blender (in the same pan) to blend the mixture until there are no large bits of wild garlic left.
Using a fine sieve, strain your wild garlic oil into a jug. Ideally, you’d have no bits in the oil after this stage, but if this isn’t the case then try sieving again, or use a cheesecloth instead.
Lastly, fill your chosen container with the finished garlic oil. To ensure that your garlic oil lasts, you must sterilise your jar or oil drizzler before use.
Sterilising your glass jar is easier than you might think! Add your heat-proof container to a warm oven and it keep on low for up to ten minutes. If you are short on time, simply fill your glass containers with boiling water and leave to sit until your oil is ready.
Once your oil is ready, you can add it to a whole host of dishes during the summer season. We love using ours to finish soups, to make salad dressings, dress potatoes, or for dipping a fresh farmhouse loaf!
Nibbles & Recipes From Savery Grazing
We’re keen foodies here at Savery Grazing, which means you’ll often find us trying new recipes with delicious seasonal ingredients. If you’d like to know more about us, or you’d like to follow our journey, why not keep up to date with us over on Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest?
If you have any questions, or you’d like a quote for one of our grazing platters, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Wild Garlic Oil FAQs
How Long Does Wild Garlic Oil Last?
Wild garlic oil will last up to a month in a sealed container stored in the fridge, however, for the best flavour profile, we’d recommend using your oil within two weeks. If you’d like your oil to last longer, simply freeze following the steps outlined below.
Can You Freeze Wild Garlic Oil?
Yes, you can! Freezing your wild garlic oil is a great way to preserve the unique flavours long after the season is over. To freeze, simply fill an ice cube tray with your wild garlic oil, and freeze. Once hard, remove the cubes from the tray and add them to a ziplock bag. Use as and when needed.
Can You Freeze Wild Garlic Leaves?
Yes – wild garlic leaves are so easy to freeze. Wash and dry. your wild garlic leaves thoroughly (use a salad spinner or pat dry with a tea towel). Next, lay your leaves on top of one another until a small pile forms, and then roll them up tightly from the top of the leaf to the bottom. Place your wild garlic rolls into ziplock bags and place in the freezer. When you come to use your wild garlic, simply slice off your desired amount and use from frozen.
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