Chef Gareth Johns loves working with local produce and changing the menu depending on what’s in season and fresh.
The big one at this time of year has to be Ramsons, or Wild Garlic as it’s commonly known as. It’s truly seasonal, and its elusive fragrance is hard to preserve. Chef has found Wild Garlic Butter to be the best and simplest way to enjoy it.
Wild garlic butter:
Simply mince together a block of good Welsh butter with two LARGE handfuls of leaves and a little pepper, roll in greaseproof paper and freeze.
Chef’s Pesto:
This is made with ground hazelnuts( roasted), grated Teifi cheese oil, and a little lemon. This pesto is an excellent accompaniment to pasta, and all manner of dishes.
Extra tips:
The young leaves can be used in salads, or shredded and folded through white or butter sauces, which is especially tasty with fish or shellfish.
After flowering, pick the flowers, dip in a tempura-style light batter and deep fry which tastes amazing! The buds can also be pickled and used like capers.
Photo by Pascal Debrunner on Unsplash