Wild garlic soup is a creamy or velvety soup with a light garlic flavor and a beautiful green color. An easy and quick recipe to enjoy the delicate taste of this wild spring herb.
When is wild garlic harvested? Where can wild garlic be found?
The leaves of wild garlic (or wood garlic) grow from March to May, in the shade of moist and fertile undergrowth or along streams, depending on the climate and altitude of the harvesting area (from 0 to 1500 m a.s.l.).
HARVESTING wild #garlic (or wild garlic) – leaves collected in March and April are fresher and more tender, while those in May are more fibrous. Caution it can be confused with the leaves of meadow saffron, the arum and lily of the valley, all poisonous. To recognize it without doubt, rub a leaf between your fingers and smell its strong garlic odor, it grows lushly in the undergrowth creating a fragrant carpet, the leaves have a thin and individual stalk.
RECIPES with wild garlic
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Spring
- Energy 154.25 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 30.11 (g) of which sugars 4.79 (g)
- Proteins 5.80 (g)
- Fat 1.63 (g) of which saturated 0.25 (g)of which unsaturated 1.32 (g)
- Fibers 3.04 (g)
- Sodium 544.69 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 310 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Wild Garlic Soup
- 1.1 lbs potatoes
- 1.75 cups soy milk (or cow's milk)
- 1.75 cups water
- to taste salt (1 teaspoon)
- 1.4 oz wild garlic (in leaves – from 0.7 oz to 2.1 oz according to personal taste)
- 3.5 oz onion (or leek)
Tools
- Pot high stainless steel
- Immersion Blender
Wild Garlic Soup
First, peel and wash the potatoes, then cut them into regular pieces (smaller cubes will cook faster). If desired, prepare the onion (or leek) as well.
In a tall pot, add the diced vegetables with water and milk. Salt and cook for about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash the wild garlic and cut it into strips. Add it to the soup towards the end of cooking.
Once the potatoes are soft, turn off the heat, let the wild garlic cream cool slightly, and blend everything with an immersion blender.
STORE wild garlic soup
To store wild garlic soup, let it cool completely at room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator and consume within 3 days or freeze it to keep for up to 3 months.
What can be served with wild garlic soup?
Before serving wild garlic soup, you can enrich it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of chili pepper (or freshly ground black pepper), and wild garlic leaves cut into strips. For a gourmet flavor, sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg. Or croutons (or toasted bread), nutritional yeast flakes, sour cream, ricotta, or creamy or grated cheese.
Pair with fish: sautéed shrimp in a pan.
Pair with cured meats: diced guanciale (or sweet or smoked bacon) browned in a pan.What are the properties of wild garlic?
Dr. Michela Trevisan lists its properties: “Wild garlic is a wild plant possessing all the properties of cultivated garlic in higher concentrations. It has a strong antibiotic and antifungal action, naturally lowers the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, useful in cases of diarrhea and intestinal worms, lowers blood pressure, stimulates blood circulation, clears respiratory tracts of phlegm, and lowers fever.“
How much wild garlic can you eat?
Wild garlic can be consumed in moderation like regular garlic. There are no specific restrictions, but it’s advisable to avoid excess to prevent potential gastrointestinal disturbances. Consult a healthcare professional in case of allergies or particular health conditions.
