Wild Garlic

Wild garlic, srijemus or srijemas as it is called in Bosnia, appears in shady woodlands near streams during spring in Europe. This is what I've learnt on the Internet after my mother-in-law handed me a bunch of them one morning and so I became aware of its existence. 

To some this plant with its matt green leaves might simply stink because of its garlicky smell, but to others its distinctive flavour is a delicious addition to meat dishes. Another blogger suggested wrapping larger leaves of the plant around roasted fish which sounds great or leaving a few smaller ones in a bottle of olive oil to steep and give it a fantastic aroma and taste. I think there is no end to the list of the dishes you can use wild garlic in. If the dish you're preparing calls for garlic, go for wild garlic but remember to add it at the end of cooking to preserve the freshness.

You can keep the leaves and the stalks wrapped in the fridge for one week. The strange thing about wild garlic is that, for all its powerful aroma, the taste is gentler than conventional garlic cloves. In this sense, wild garlic is one of those blessings of nature you shouldn't turn your nose up at. Enjoy it while you can in spring.