Wild Garlic Pesto

A Simple Seasonal Favourite from Gower

One of our favourite things about spring on Gower is the arrival of wild garlic. Woodland walks around Parkmill and the valleys leading down to Three Cliffs Bay become filled with the unmistakable scent of fresh wild garlic, carpeting the forest floor in vibrant green.

After a morning exploring the coast paths and woodlands near Jacob Cottage, this simple wild garlic pesto is the perfect way to bring a little of the season back to the kitchen.

This recipe comes from Sarah Raven’s Garden Cookbook and is wonderfully easy to make. Stir through pasta, spoon onto roasted vegetables, spread over sourdough or drizzle onto pizza fresh from the Gozney oven in the garden.

Ingredients

• 100g wild garlic leaves (around 50–60 leaves)

• 50g grated Parmesan

• 50g pine nuts

• 200ml olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the wild garlic leaves for around 10 seconds.

2. Immediately transfer the leaves into cold water to refresh them and keep their vibrant green colour.

3. Pat the leaves dry thoroughly.

4. Add the wild garlic, Parmesan, pine nuts and olive oil to a blender and blitz until you reach your desired consistency.

5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Spoon into sterilised jars and cover the top with a little olive oil to help preserve freshness.

You can also freeze the pesto to enjoy later in the year.

A Taste of Spring on Gower

There’s something incredibly satisfying about cooking with ingredients gathered during a walk along the Gower coast. Simple, seasonal food always tastes better after a day outdoors.

If you stay at Jacob Cottage during wild garlic season, keep an eye out on local woodland walks - it’s one of spring’s real highlights.

Mmmmm indeed.