Wild garlic – The healthy and tasty relative of garlic and chives

Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a native wild herb and related to chives, onions and garlic. The taste of wild garlic is comparable to garlic, which is why it is often called “Hunz garlic” or “witch’s onion”.

The wild garlic grows almost all over Europe, but in Germany it is mainly found in the south and is sometimes even threatened with extinction. However, the wild garlic is not under nature protection and may be picked for personal use.

The best time to collect wild garlic is in spring, between March and May, depending on the region and altitude. With its dark green, slightly shiny leaves, reminiscent of the shape of the lily of the valley, it is one of the most popular wild herbs in the kitchen.

Collect wild garlic

You can usually just pick the wild garlic with your fingers so as not to injure the leaves. However, it is also possible to use scissors to cut off the leaves. The important thing here is that you don’t cut off the whole plant, but only a few leaves. This way you prevent the plant from dying completely and it can spread its seeds after flowering to grow again next year.

Where does wild garlic grow?

Wild garlic usually grows in semi-shady to shady places and is often found in the forest under deciduous trees. If you smell garlic when you go for a walk, it could well be that wild garlic is growing nearby.

How much wild garlic can you collect?

A household amount per person is allowed. However, a handful of leaves is most likely not enough to prepare pesto, for example. Accordingly, you should collect about a quantity of a cloth bag to make good use of wild garlic in the kitchen.

What to look for when collecting wild garlic?

If you want to collect wild garlic, you should be careful, because it can often be confused with poisonous plants such as lily of the valley and autumn crocus. Especially when the plant does not yet have flowers, they look similar. Arum is another doppelganger of bear’s leek and looks very similar to it, especially in the young growth stages. Therefore, it is important to know the plants well and what to look for.

To make sure that you pick wild garlic and do not confuse it with a poisonous plant, there are some tricks. For example, you can remember that wild garlic always grows singly from the ground and has a single leaf, while the lily of the valley has two leaves, and a meadow saffron has no leaves, but only a bulb.

Another way is to perceive the typical garlic smell of wild garlic and to know the leaf structure. Wild garlic is smooth on the underside of the leaf and somewhat softer compared to its poisonous relatives.

The differences of wild garlic and lily of the valley

In this section, I’ve summarized for you the most important differences between wild garlic and lily of the valley, so that you can more easily and safely collect the healthy wild herb wild garlic.

• Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) is a herbaceous plant that belongs to the Amaryllis family and is often found in deciduous forests and moist areas.
• Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis) are also herbaceous plants that belong to the asparagus family and also grow in forests.
• Both plants have leaves that can look similar, but there are a few differences that can help tell them apart:
  • The stem of the lily of the valley is round, while that of the bear’s leek is more angular.
  • Lily of the valley usually has one style and two leaves, but there are exceptions. Wild garlic usually has one stem and one leaf.
  • Wild garlic has a specific smell that can help him distinguish from other plants. Wild garlic smells strongly of garlic and onions.
  • Another distinguishing feature between wild garlic and lily of the valley is the “crackling” of the stem. If you rub the stem of the bear’s lily between your fingers, you hear a distinct cracking sound, whereas this is not the case with the lily of the valley.

Properly process wild garlic

If you have collected wild garlic, you should process or preserve it as soon as possible. It is best to wash it thoroughly and shake off the water afterwards. You can chop or mash the wild garlic and preserve it in oil or butter. Or you can dry it by laying the leaves loosely on a cloth and store it in a dry, warm place. This way you can use wild garlic all year round. With dried wild garlic you can easily make your own spiced salt or wild garlic salt.

Using wild garlic in the kitchen

In the kitchen, wild garlic can be used in many different ways. Of course, it tastes best fresh.

You can of course process and preserve wild garlic in several other ways. One way is to dry it and then use it as a spice. Wild garlic is also good as a pesto or as an ingredient for soups and salads.

A popular way to use it is to make wild garlic pesto. For this, wild garlic leaves are pureed together with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and spices. The pesto is excellent as a spread or sauce for pasta.

Wild garlic can also be used in soups and stews. For this, the wild garlic leaves are cut into fine strips and added to the soup or stew shortly before the end of the cooking time. In this way, the wild garlic unfolds its full aroma and gives the dish a spicy note.

For wild garlic butter, soft butter and chopped wild garlic are mixed. The wild garlic butter can then be used as a spread or to refine sauces and vegetable dishes.

If you like to bake bread, you can also prepare wild garlic bread. For this, finely chopped wild garlic leaves are added to the dough and the bread is baked as usual.

The healthy effect of wild garlic

In addition to its delicious taste, using wild garlic in your dishes is responsible for many different positive effects that bring benefits to your health.

The plant contains many vitamins, minerals and sulfur compounds such as allicin, which has a positive effect on metabolism and blood pressure. The wild herb has anti-inflammatory and blood purifying effects and is often used in detoxification products.

Here I have summarized the 6 most important health-promoting effects of wild garlic for you:

1. Wild garlic has a blood pressure lowering effect: wild garlic contains sulfur compounds that have a vasodilating effect and can thus lower blood pressure.
2. Wild garlic has an antibacterial effect: The sulfur compounds contained in wild garlic also have an antibiotic effect and can thus help with bacterial infections.
3. Wild garlic has a positive effect on the immune system: wild garlic contains many vitamins and minerals that can strengthen the immune system.
4. Wild garlic can help with digestive problems: Wild garlic stimulates digestion and can therefore help with digestive problems such as flatulence and bloating.
5. Wild garlic has an anti-inflammatory effect: The active substances contained in wild garlic can have an anti-inflammatory effect and thus help with inflammation in the body.
6. Wild garlic can help prevent cardiovascular disease: Due to its blood pressure lowering and vasodilating effect, wild garlic can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Summary

Wild garlic thus not only a delicious wild herb, but also a healthy and versatile food. However, those who want to collect and process it should definitely make sure that they are really picking wild garlic and not confuse it with poisonous plants. Collecting wild garlic is a healthy and sustainable way to get fresh and delicious ingredients for your dishes in the spring.