Ramsons pickled in cider vinegar

15/04/14

Cider Vinegar draws out the taste in Ramsons (Wild Garlic) and we are now in the middle of the picking season. The plants grow plentifully in dampish, shady ground – often near Bluebells.

The leaves can be used in salads or to make pesto. The stems and bulbs can be pickled and used throughout the year in many dishes. One note of caution, Lily of the Valley (very poisonous) can look like Wild Garlic so take care when collecting.

The bulbs and stems of about fifty plants are cleaned and chopped and put into jars. 200 ml of Somerset Cider Vinegar is then boiled along with a generous spoonful of sugar, 15 black peppercorns and a teaspoonful of fennel seed. Let the vinegar cool and then pour over Ramsons.

Wild Garlic (Allium ursinum) is a wild relative of the chives we grow in our gardens and native to Europe and Asia. They are also known as Ramsons or Buckrams.

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