Freeze
Preserve wild garlic throughout the season
There are various ways to make wild garlic last longer.
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Wild garlic only has a short season. But with a few tricks you can preserve the aroma for a long time.
Freeze leaves
Freezing is one of the easiest ways to preserve the fresh aroma of wild garlic for several months. To do this, first wash the wild garlic leaves thoroughly and shake them dry. Then put it in the freezer either whole or already finely chopped in a freezer bag or another airtight container.
Another option: Finely puree the washed wild garlic leaves and place them in the chambers of an ice cube tray and fill with a little water. The pureed wild garlic can also be refined with olive oil or butter and then frozen in the ice cube tray.
Wild garlic lasts for about six months frozen.
Canned into pesto or paste
There are different methods for canning wild garlic. For example as a paste: Wash the wild garlic leaves, shake them dry and cut them into fine strips. Fill a screw-top jar with a layer of wild garlic about a centimeter wide, sprinkle a pinch of salt over it and pour a little oil over it. Continue layer by layer until the jar is full, pressing the leaves together with a spoon as you go. Once all the wild garlic leaves are covered with oil, close the jar tightly and store in the refrigerator. The wild garlic paste lasts about three to four weeks.
The classic: wild garlic pesto. For about five preserving jars, chop 150 grams of cashews or other nuts in a food processor and set aside. Then gradually chop about a kilo of wild garlic leaves in the machine, add 0.5 liters of vegetable oil, 30 g of coarse salt and the chopped nuts in portions and process into a smooth mass. Add some lemon juice to taste. Pour the pesto into the preserving jars, cover with plenty of oil and close tightly. It lasts for several months and can be used in about one to two weeks after opening.
Dry for seasoning
Dried wild garlic can last for a few months if stored in a dry and light-protected place. After washing and patting dry, the green leaves can either be air-dried or dried in the oven, although the latter is very energy-intensive. To air dry, tie the leaves together on the stems into a small bouquet and hang in a dark, dry place. It takes about one to two weeks for the leaves to dry.
To dry in the oven, remove the stems of the leaves and spread them on a baking tray. Put the tray in the oven at 40 degrees Celsius, leaving the door slightly open so that the moisture can escape. Turn the leaves regularly so that they dry evenly. The process takes around three to four hours.
You can then crumble the dried wild garlic leaves and store them in an airtight container. This means they can be used for cooking and seasoning for several weeks. Another delicious option: make a herbal salt mixture from the dried leaves.