Lucy Carr-Ellison and Jemima Jones, Wild by Tart
“The first shoots of wild garlic emerge from the wetter areas of the woodland floor in the early spring sunshine, before the trees above have had a chance to shade out everything that grows beneath. By May the shaded woodland floor is a shifting patchwork quilt of white wild garlic flowers and the bluebells. The delicate newer leaves are the ones to pick, carefully so as not dislodge the whole plant from its place.”
- 100g wild garlic, chopped
- 50g basil, chopped
- 50g Parmesan, grated
- 50g, pine nuts / walnuts / hazelnuts, chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 Lemon grated, and juice
- Salt and pepper
Either bash together in a pestle and mortar or place in a food processor and whizz.
Bettina Campolucci Bordi, Founder of Bettina’s Kitchen
“We collect our wild garlic from Hampstead Heath. I make it into a pesto and keep it in the fridge, or blend it with oil and freeze it in ice cubes trays. That way if I need a hit of flavour for a soup or stew, these are ready for me at any given time. I also sometimes dry the leaves in my mini dehydrator and make a green powder that keeps very well in an air-tight container. The powder can be stirred into a mayonnaise to make a wild garlic aioli as well as dressings and creams”
Ben Tish's salt cod fritters with wild garlic aioli
Serves 4 as starter or 8 or more for canapés
These fritters are perfect for tapas or a canapé party. Piping hot from the fryer and dipped in a punchy, citrusy aioli, they are irresistible and evocative of summer dining in Seville. You can use the salt cod recipe described in the curing section of this book. A 24-hour salt is adequate and run under cold water for about two hours. You can buy the salt cod if you like but it will need 24 hours soaking first. We use a choux paste to make these extra light and airy and you can freeze then before cooking for later use.
Ingredients
- 350g salt cod, washed well
- 1 large maris piper potato pricked several times with a fork
- 100g Coarse salt
- 550ml milk
- 1 bay leaf 1 sprigs rosemary
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- Squeeze of orange juice
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 40g cold diced unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour-sifted
- Sea salt and pepper
- 2l Vegetable oil for frying
For the aioli (makes around 200ml)
- handful of chopped wild garlic leaves
- 1 large free-range egg yolk
- l00ml vegetable oil
- 100ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1⁄2 clove garlic, peeled, very finely chopped
- 1 small teaspoon Dijon mustard
- white wine vinegar, to taste
- lemon juice, to taste
- salt and pepper
Method
- Start by making the aioli. Place the yolk in a mixing bowl along with the mustard and the garlic. Begin whisking and slowly add the oils to emulsify with the yolk. As the oils incorporate into the yolk, you can speed up the process. When all the oil has been added, season with salt and pepper and add some lemon juice and vinegar to taste.
- Put the orange juice in a pan and reduce to a sticky glaze. Whisk it into the aioli and reserve
- Heat an oven to 200 degrees celsius. Sprinkle the coarse salt on a baking tray and place the potato on top. Cook until the potato is soft and tender and then remove from the oven.When cool remove the skin.
- Place the cod in a medium saucepan and cover with the milk; add the garlic, bay and rosemary. Bring the milk to the boil and then turn off the heat immediately and leave the fish to finish cooking in the residual heat and cool down.
- To make the choux paste bring the butter and 150ml of cold water to the boil and then add the flour. Stir well until a dough forms and comes away from the pans sides. Remove from the heat and cool down for five minutes. Slowly add the eggs and beat in well to make a smooth, shiny paste.
- Remove the cod from the milk and flake into small pieces into a bowl. Add the potato, the choux paste, orange juice and seasoning. Mix all very well and then shape into small balls or croquette shapes. Transfer to the fridge to firm up.
- Heat the vegetable oil up in a fryer to 180 degrees celsius or in a saucepan until a small piece of bread fizzles on contact.
- Fry the fritters in batches so as not to cool the oil down too quickly and cook until golden brown. Drain well on kitchen towel and serve with the aioli on the side.
