A Simple Springtime, Pea and Wild Garlic Houmous

This quick to make Pea and Wild Garlic Houmous is vegetarian and vegan. A light springtime treat serve it with crackers for a casual lunch or use it as a topping for canapes at dinner. Don’t be put off by the wild garlic. The flavour is delicate with a dash of chilli for heat and lime juice for freshness. If you’re a garlic lover like me, look up our post on growing garlic and how to make herb oils.

How do I find wild garlic.?

Depending on how far north you live wild garlic will begin to appear late march and be gone by June. In May you can expect to see the small white flowers appearing. If you are having problems finding a wild garlic patch early May is a good time to have a look around. The flowers will really stand out and highlight the extent of the crop. Next year you will know exactly where to go.

Picking wild garlic.

Before you do any gathering be sure what you are looking at is wild garlic. The wild garlic leaves look very similar to Lilly of the Valley which is poisonous. Chances are that as you approach the area you will smell garlic in the air. Take a leaf and crush it in the palm of your hand. Give it a sniff and you should get a good whiff of garlic. If you don’t, its not what you want. Don’t use any of the leaves and more on. If you’re not sure, don’t use it. When you find a patch don’t gather it from the sides of the patch. There’s a fair chance passing dogs will have assisted in the watering close to the path.

Move a little further into the woodland and select your leaves. The younger smaller leaves have the best flavour. If its in flower look for the plants with a single flower. Plants with large multiple blooms will be older and the leaves may be more bitter. The flowers make a great garnish and its worth taking a few if you plan to use them quickly. Once you get home gently wash to leaves and dry them off on kitchen paper. Be carful with the leaves as they bruise easily. Place the leaves in a zip seal bag and pop them into the warmest part of the fridge.

Only pick what you need and never pick a whole plant. Take a few leaves here and there working across the patch. Don’t trample everything underfoot, and step between plants. It’s in everybody’s interest to preserve the environment as a resource for future years.

Never pull up the garlic bulbs. Its illegal without the landowner’s permission and a waste of time as they are of no use in the kitchen.

Pea and wild garlic houmous.

Makes 270g.

You will need.

Chopping board and knife

Shallow pan or frying pan

Spatula

Small food processor or hand blender

One large and one medium Pyrex or metal bowls

Ice or frozen ice packs

Ingredients.

240g                frozen peas

½                     clove of garlic

3tbsp               light olive oil

2                      spring onions

10                    leaves of wild garlic

1tsp                 tahini

                        zest of a lime

2tbsp               lime juice

Good pinch     cayenne pepper

¼ tsp               salt

Before you start, half fill the larger bowl with cold water and add the ice or icepack. Set the medium bowl into the water ready to receive the peas. This arrangement is to cook the cooked peas down as quickly as possible.

An alternative arrangement if you have a chest freezer. Is to place a heavy baking tray into the freezer an hour or two beforehand to get really cold. The cooked peas can then be tipped out onto the tray and spread out to cool quickly and retain colour and flavour.

Completely defrost the peas. I have used frozen peas for this as fresh peas are unavailable in the wild garlic season. Also, frozen peas have already been through a blanching process at the factory making the cooking minimal.

Lay the defrosted peas onto kitchen paper to wick off as much water as possible. Finely sliced the garlic clove and pop it into the pan. Thinly slice the spring onion starting at the green end. Slice down the onion leaving the last two inches of white. This end of the spring onion is stronger and will overpower our peas. Hang on to the ends, they are a good substitute for shallots in a fish dish or curry. Once the peas are completely dry add the spring onions to the peas and zest the lime over the top.

Add the olive oil to the garlic in the pan and put the pan over a medium heat.

Gently fry the garlic in the oil until it just shows a hint of colour. As soon as you see this quickly add the peas, onions, and lime to the pan. If you think you have taken the garlic too far, STOP, DON’T ADD THE PEAS. If the garlic is at all burnt it will spoil the whole thing. It’s much better to start again with fresh garlic and oil that waste all the ingredients and your time.

When you have added the peas turn up the heat and cook for about three minutes. The objective is to soften the spring onion and drive any last water off the peas. Shred the wild garlic and add to the pan. Cook for one more minute then tip the contents of the pan into the bowl sitting in the iced water.

Spread the mixture up the sides of the bowl to have as much in contact with the bowl as possible. Let the mix sit for a few minutes then give it a mix and spread it up the bowl once more. After three or four minutes the mix should have completely cooled down.

Lift the smaller bowl from the water and wipe it dry. Check the bowl is cold, if not return it back to the iced water. Transfer the mixture to a small food processor and add the tahini, cayenne, and lime juice. Then process the mixture to a paste. Have a taste and add a little more salt, lime juice or cayenne as you wish.

Enjoy Life!

John.

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©John Webber. 2023