Foraging: Wild garlic pesto
Far beyond the littoral fringe was where we found ourselves on Sunday, traipsing up the path and into the mist fizzing forth from Glencar waterfall. Not quite a bear hunt but a hunt nonetheless. Perhaps 'hunt' is a little strong. It was doubtful that neither Muireann or myself would be in a position to suddenly exclaim, '..it's coming right for us!' and so plunge our scissors into the stems of the Ransoms as they marched down upon us. No, nothing quite so dramatic.
What was dramatic however, was the gentle waft of garlic upon the haze of the waterfall as we fought our way off the path, up and across the slick side of the glen crushing some of the Ransoms underfoot whilst other fell to the shears.
Back in the kitchen with an appropriate soundtrack, our harvest of the wild garlic (Allium ursinum) was washed, patted dry and stuffed unceremoniously into the blender along with some groundnut oil and almonds. The result is a deliciously mellow garlic pesto. Straight over some crusty chunks of good bread, stirred through pasta with mushrooms and nuggets of mozzarella, poked about by carrot sticks...
What was dramatic however, was the gentle waft of garlic upon the haze of the waterfall as we fought our way off the path, up and across the slick side of the glen crushing some of the Ransoms underfoot whilst other fell to the shears.
Back in the kitchen with an appropriate soundtrack, our harvest of the wild garlic (Allium ursinum) was washed, patted dry and stuffed unceremoniously into the blender along with some groundnut oil and almonds. The result is a deliciously mellow garlic pesto. Straight over some crusty chunks of good bread, stirred through pasta with mushrooms and nuggets of mozzarella, poked about by carrot sticks...