Tag: garlic

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.

Extremely creamy spaghetti with garlic, oil and chilli – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

Garlic is stripped of its soul and left to sizzle together with the chili pepper; the parsley is finely chopped to give color and freshness to the entire dish. The spaghetti with garlic, oil and hot peppers they are the most famous and traditional dish of Italian cuisine; a first course as simple as it is elaborate to prepare. Yes, because the secret for one good garlic and oil lies in cooking the garlic, which must release its aroma without ever burning.

Depending on your taste, the chili pepper can be more or less pronounced, reduced to powder or cut into larger, more spectacular rounds.

The cream, then, is a whole programme: not simple oil to season the pasta, but a thicker sauce with an enveloping flavour.

Spaghetti with garlic, oil and chilli pepper is a very quick first course, the classic Italian dinner saver that is impossible not to love.

The secret to a tasty thick cream lies in the cooking of the pasta: risotto in the pan, with the seasoning, will allow the thickening process thanks to the release of the starch from the pasta.

Cook the spaghetti in boiling, salted water.

Pour plenty of oil into a pan and add the cored garlic cloves and the chilli pepper cut into thin slices.

Add a little cooking water (be careful, the oil must not be hot) and risotto the spaghetti for a few minutes.

Stir in the finely chopped parsley and extra virgin olive oil off the heat.

Serve the spaghetti with the emulsion created during cooking.

Garlic Soup – Recipe by – Italian cuisine reinvented by Gordon Ramsay

First dissolve the sugar and yeast in the water, then add the oil.

Place the flours, salt and semolina in a bowl and mix, then add the water mixture and work until you obtain a smooth and homogeneous dough.

Divide into 2 equal loaves, place in 2 lightly oiled bowls, cover with cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for at least 2 hours or until doubled.

Take 1 loaf at a time, crush it with your hands, separate a small piece of dough and form a cord.
With the rest of the dough, form a ball again, squeeze a small part upwards forming a sort of caciocavallo shape, then roll the string around the squeeze.
Proceed in the same way with the second block, then make small not too deep cuts, perpendicular to the cord.

Crush or cut the garlic into small pieces and place it in a small bowl with a little oil.
Cook in a preheated ventilated oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes; then raise the temperature to 220°C and cook for another 15 minutes; finally remove from the oven temporarily, lower the temperature to 200°C, brush with the garlic oil and cook for another 5 minutes, then turn off, remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Start preparing the garlic soup: peel the potatoes, wash them and cut them into cubes.

Heat the broth.
Peel the garlic cloves and crush them with a garlic crusher or with the back of a knife.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the garlic and let it brown for a couple of minutes, then add the flour, stirring constantly to avoid lumps forming.

Add the hot broth, mixing well with a whisk or a wooden spoon, then add the potatoes and parsley, cover with a lid and leave to simmer for 25-30 minutes or until the potatoes are very soft.
If you want you can blend with a blender (well or just roughly) for an even smoother and creamier consistency.

Take the loaves, cut off the top and empty the crumbs, creating bowls.

Peel the cheese and cut it into cubes.

Pour a ladle of soup into bread bowls and top with cheese, parsley and paprika.

The garlic soup is ready, all you have to do is add the lid and serve.