Dandelion Zing

I named this recipe Dandelion Zing after the explosion of lemon, garlic and chilli that happens in your mouth – feel free to alter and substitute as you see fit. 

Dandelion leaves (the larger the better)

Onion

Garlic 

Chilli (dried or fresh)

Seasoning

Lemon

Parmesan

Take the large Dandelion leaves and blanch in a little water until they are soft and tender, and some of the bitterness has gone – probably about 5 minutes, perhaps a little longer depending on the size. In the meantime, fry a little onion, garlic, chilli (to taste) and seasoning in some oil. Drain the Dandelion, and add the onion, garlic and chilli, and toss together, squeezing a little bit of lemon juice to add some of the zing. Serve topped with grated Parmesan or similar hard cheese, salt and pepper. 

This simple use of Dandelion is particularly good served with a salty bacon or smoked fish such a mackerel – an excellent side dish.

Elderflower Champagne

Ingredients:

The flowers from 6 elderflower heads

2 lemons, sliced

4.5 litres of water

750 grams of sugar 

2 tbsp of cider/white wine vinegar

Fizzy drinks bottles 

Make sure your bottles are sterile, once you have washed them you can either use a sterilising fluid or crush up a campden tablet in some warm water to dissolve it and then give them a good rinse with the solution. Make sure your hands are clean throughout the process!

I would advise against using glass bottles. Once the fermentation process starts in the bottle the high pressure can cause the bottle to explode and a hole to appear in your favourite partitioning wall/shed. 

1.Pour 4.5 litres of water in to a container which has a lid (or can be cling filmed)

2. Add the flowers of 6 elderflower heads (shake off any bugs first but don't wash the flowers as this will get rid of the natural yeast and you will have no fizz. Bear in mind that your hands will get covered in pollen so if you are a fellow hayfever sufferer DON'T rub your eyes!)

3. Add the 2 sliced lemons

4. Whilst in the mixture give the lemons a squeeze to let out some of the juice

5. Put the lid/cling film on and leave for 24-36 hours

6. Strain the liquid through a clean cloth/ muslin into a container

7. Add 2 tbsp of cider/white wine vinegar

8. Add 750g of sugar and stir until dissolved

9. Pour in to fizzy drinks bottle and put the lids back on (not too tight though)

10. The champagne will start to fizz over the next few days. Over the next week or so keep checking the bottles frequently to make sure that the pressure hasn't built up too high. If it does very gently unscrew the bottles slightly to release some of the pressure.

After 1-2 weeks the bubbles should slow down. When they do screw down the caps tightly and it is ready for you to drink.

The longer you leave it, the more alcoholic it will get as it will continue to ferment but keep in mind that by three months it will probably be too dry. 

Ramson Pesto

Using the Wild Garlic leaves collected, make a very simple, but fantastically tasty, pesto sauce for pasta dishes or to add flavour to stews and soups.

Ingredients:

Generous Handful of Wild Garlic

Olive Oil

Grated Parmesan (or similar hard cheese)

Salt & Pepper

Lemon Juice

1)       Finely chop the Wild Garlic leaves, and add to a pestle or bowl.

2)       Add a teaspoon or 2 of olive oil, add salt, pepper, lemon to taste, and grind together to make paste.

3)       Add a good sprinkling of grated Parmesan and stir in.

This is the basic paste – I have deliberately left the quantities vague as personal preference plays a role, and it’s all about seasoning to taste! The pesto should be added immediately to pasta, stirring thoroughly through spaghetti for example, as it doesn’t keep longer than a few days - the Ramson takes on a bitter taste. Mix with left-over chicken or bacon, for example, or even halved cherry tomatoes, to create a more full pasta sauce, or just experiment as the garlic and parmesan taste goes with just about anything.

The pesto can be frozen very successfully – try using ice cube trays, as a single cube of frozen pesto does for a single serving of pasta, and it will keep for many months – certainly past the Ramson season, and perhaps into the next!