Tag: wild

Wild garlic: what it is and where to find the treasure of the woods – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Wild version of common garlic, wild garlic has always been present in our woods but only recently has its great value in the kitchen been disappearing. Also because until a few years ago only the natives knew how to distinguish it from other similar (and poisonous) varieties, they kept it in family recipes and followed its seasonality. The great chefs have cleared it, breaking down the old taboos of bon ton that fear its smell.

Wild garlic: the 100% edible “wild” version

Wild garlic is the wild cousin of common garlic, a spontaneous and perennial medicinal plant. It belongs to the same family as the tulip and grows almost everywhere without major demands: in the woods, along ditches and near rivers. It seems to have taken its name from the enjoyable habit of bears to stock up on them to recover the energy lost when waking up from hibernation (or so the popular legend says). It has antibiotic and antifungal properties and is rich in vitamins and minerals. This tenacious plant is totally edible, so much so that it can be considered a “vegetable” version of pork, nothing of which is thrown away. Most importantly, from the bulb to the stem and up to the leaves it has a strong taste, but less persistent than classic garlic.

Dangerous similarities

We are all passionate about foraging, or perhaps we would like to, but we must remember that the pitfalls, as with mushrooms, are just around the corner when it comes to collecting wild herbs. In fact, wild garlic is very similar to other species that are highly poisonous if ingested, i.e. thrush and colchicum. Our senses can help us recognize it even when it is not in flower but it is better to contact a local person and an expert botanist or agronomist who can check the spoils. So let’s not get carried away by enthusiasm and leave the wild plants where they are, admiring and smelling them: there is a much safer way to enjoy all the properties of wild garlic. Let’s grow it on the balcony.

The wild garlic flower.

On the terrace it is a guarantee

We can grow wild garlic in our homes starting from seeds, seedlings and bulbs. In the first case we can find the seeds in specialized shops, but in this case we will have to wait at least two years to have something to bite into. It is therefore better to opt for bulbs to be buried in autumn in groups of three as is done for garlic and onion, or the seedling that can be transplanted directly into a pot in spring. The leaves can be picked and used all year round, watering them to avoid stagnation. Wild garlic is perfect for “black thumbs” (who would be better off just buying plastic flowers) and for shaded balconies, the nightmare of lovers of metropolitan gardening.

Wild asparagus omelette: to be made in early spring – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

There wild asparagus omelette it’s a quick and easy recipe of the time of spring. Going for asparagus until a few years ago was a real problem tradition of the season spring, together with collection of bitter herbs as the dandelionwhich was cooked in a pan or eaten raw.

Vegetables likeasparagus and bitter herbs such as dandelion are essential for the body because they help purification and help eliminate toxins. As Chinese medicine explains it bitter componentfundamental for balance of our health, belongs to the foods capable of lowering the blood sugar levelpurify and lighten the liver work.

Unfortunately, the progressive move away from the countryside and life in the city has led to a change of habits fundamental: we no longer live close to nature and even if we find ourselves in front of a meadow we no longer know the properties of flowers and plants because we don’t see them as part of the our nutrition. Plants such as dandelion, whose leaves and flowers were collected and consumed at the time, are not part of large-scale distribution, yet the consumption of bitter herbsever smaller, is closely connected to one of the phenomena that occurs more and more often in our society in recent years: the growing number of blood sugar problems and diabetes. Getting back to know and collect wild herbs and cooking with flowers can make the difference for our future and the well-being of our body.

Pay attention to the wild asparagus card!

By the way, did you know that a card is currently required to harvest wild asparagus? As with truffles or mushrooms, some locations require a wild asparagus harvest card: for information it is necessary to go to the municipality of reference of the area in which you are located, the card will be granted even to non-residents.

With tasty wild asparagus you can prepare pasta and risottovelvety but also the asparagus cream for seasoning canapés and bruschettafrom the aperitif platter to the savory snack, simple and tasty like those of the past. In the meantime, here’s how to prepare it wild asparagus omelette.

the secret of wild boar fillet with red wine and blueberries – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

The wild boar fillet with red wine and blueberries it’s delicious second winter dish. This finds its maximum expression in the colder seasons, when the boar meat it is particularly tasty, thanks to its rich diet during the summer. Preparation requires attention to detail and a mastery of culinary techniques. The fillet, cut with precision to ensure optimal consistency, is immersed in a robust red winewhich not only tenderizes the meat, but also helps give it depth of flavor.

Your choice should be careful, opting for full-bodied and structured varieties, which integrate harmoniously with these flavours. A Barolo or a Chianti Classico may be suitable choices for this purpose. There marination it is also essential to mitigate any gamey notes in the wild boar and ensure uniform cooking. There blueberry sauce, a distinctive element of this preparation, offers a recharge of antioxidants, offering a pleasant combination of sweet and acid, which goes perfectly with the robustness of the other ingredients. Finally, the secret to the success of the entire preparation lies in the presentation. The meat, carefully cooked to perfection, should be carefully arranged on the plate, accompanied by the blueberry sauce, to be distributed sparingly, avoiding excessively covering the distinctive flavor of the wild boar. Decorating with a few sprigs of rosemary or thyme can add a touch of visual freshness. Throw yourself into this gastronomic masterpiece and delight your guests with a refined wild boar fillet in red wine and blueberries.