Flavorful wild garlic oil perfect for dipping, for drizzling on food, for making salad dressings, and so on. It also makes a wonderful gourmet gift.
This wild garlic oil is a go-to ingredient in my kitchen. At least in spring. I drizzle it on anything I can think of, I serve it as a dip for bread and veggies when guests are coming, I use it for salads or for coating vegetables with it.
It’s so good, so full of flavor, really addictive. And if you are just as much into wild garlic as I am at the moment, have a look at this amazing pesto or the wild garlic butter.
What is wild garlic?
My favorite herb! Allium ursinum also known as ramsons, bear’s garlic, bear leek, or buckrams is native to Europe and Asia, but it grows throughout North America, in the Eastern half of the United States, and on the West coast.
It has a short season from April to June, depending on your area. You can pick it in shady woods, hedgerows, marshlands, and fields. However, to be able to pick it safely, you must know a few things about it. Read What to Do with Wild Garlic for more information on picking and cleaning it.
And as always when foraging, be 100% sure that you are picking the right plant and what you pick is safe to eat.
What do you need?
Wild garlic: a small amount, about 1 handful. I usually eyeball that, but for blog reasons, I checked the weight this time, I had 15 g/ 0.5 oz.
Olive oil: use good quality extra virgin olive oil. You don’t have to buy an expensive one, but it should not be the cheapest one either.
How to infuse oil with wild garlic?
My favorite method is the warm infusion. Which doesn’t mean that you must heat the ingredients at all. That is why it is my favorite method, all you must do is chop the herbs, cover them with oil and leave the jar in a cupboard for a couple of weeks.
Steps:
- Wash and dry the leaves very thoroughly.
- Cut them into strips. The fastest way of doing that is to staple the bunch of leaves neatly and slice them all together.
- Place in a larger bowl with a well-fitting lid.
- Cover them with olive oil, make sure that they are completely submerged. If not, push them down and add a little more oil to cover.
- Place the lid on and let the oil steep in a cupboard for 18 days.
- Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a jug. Press the leaves in the sieve to make sure that you don’t waste any oil.
- Decant into a sterilized bottle. It is preferable to use a dark-colored bottle if you have one. If not, keep it out of sunlight.
How to store?
Store at room temperature for about 1 month. If you keep it in the fridge, it will last longer, about 2-3 months. Always check, it should not taste rancid.
If you keep it refrigerated it will start to form crystals which will solidify. They are not bad, but you will have to bring the oil to room temperature before using it. So that’s why keeping any kind of oil refrigerated is not an option for me.
Uses
- Make salad dressings.
- Drizzle on vegetables, raw, poached, or roasted.
- Drizzle on risotto, scrambled eggs, omelets, boiled or poached eggs, grains, polenta.
- Mix with cooked pasta for a super simple and super tasty dish.
- Use as a dip for crusty bread and vegetables.
- Drizzle on cooked meats or fish.
- Make marinades.
- Add to sauces.
More homemade condiments:
Wild Garlic Oil
Ingredients
- 1 small bunch wild garlic about 15 g/ 0.5 oz
- 1 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Wash and dry the leaves very thoroughly. Cut them into strips. Place in a larger sterilized jar with a well-fitting lid.
- Cover with olive oil, make sure that the herbs are completely submerged.
- Steep: Place the lid on and let the oil steep in a cupboard for 18 days.
- Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth into a jug. Press the leaves in the sieve to make sure that you don’t waste any oil.
- Decant the oil into a sterilized bottle. It is preferable to use a dark-colored bottle.
- Keep in a dark place, like a cupboard, for about one month. If you keep it in the fridge, it will last for about 2-3 months. Always check; it should not taste rancid.