Young leaves of garlic mustard in April

Today, in April, garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) is an important and very tasty local wild plant. Hardly anyone knows about young leaves, but they are particularly tender. The herbaceous plant is native to many parts of Europe and can be found all year round. However, their appearance varies greatly depending on the stage. The young leaves of garlic mustard in the first year grow close to the ground, they are heart-shaped to rounded, almost resembling the leaves of garlic mustard Gundermannbut it has an intensely garlicky and very tasty flavour. It is only in the second year that garlic mustard develops the more familiar spiky leaves and white flowers. In this article we show how to use young garlic mustard leaves.

More times than young garlic mustard

Die Garlic mustard It is a biennial plant, meaning it typically requires two years of growth to flower and reproduce. In the first year the plant grows like a rosette with a group of leaves, these are exactly the young leaves that this post is talking about, and in the second year it continues to grow and produce flowers and seeds.

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Garlic mustard is especially tender and nutritious in spring and autumn

Garlic mustard is also known as “wild garlic” and is often used as a wild vegetable or spice. A special feature of garlic mustard are its young leaves, which are particularly tender and nutrient-rich in spring and also in autumn, the so-called second spring. The young leaves of garlic mustard have a heart- or kidney-shaped shape and are slightly wavy. They are usually 5 to 10 centimeters long and 3 to 6 centimeters wide. The leaves have a fresh green color and are covered with numerous small hairs. These hairs serve as protection for the plant from predators. But they can also be found in winter and, collected sparingly, can be eaten very well in a salad of wild herbs.

Garlic mustard in April

Garlic mustard is also a topic of ours Wild Herbs Magazine (available here). In the current spring edition we present you with more wild herbs, as well as great tips and recipes. If you missed previous editions, get our complete set. You can purchase the magazine in digital and paper format in our herbal shop at www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de

The young leaves of garlic mustard are rich in nutrients and have an intense flavor Garlic AND Mustard. They contain, among other things, vitamin C, iron, potassium and calcium, as well as secondary plant substances such as flavonoids and glucosinolates. These nutrients make the young leaves a healthy and tasty spring vegetable. You can see how to find them in the forest in this video.

Set of seeds with wild herbs

Do you want to sow wild herbs? Then you will find various wild herb seed sets with us. In our herbalist’s shop www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de You can choose the plants you would like to grow in your garden or on your balcony. There you will find valerian seeds, St. John’s wort, wild rocket, chamomile, but also classics such as parsley or chives. Growing wild herbs and medicinal plants yourself is the best way to learn about plants in detail during the growing process.

Young garlic mustard recipe ideas

The young leaves of garlic mustard can be used in various ways. They are suitable, for example, as an ingredient in salads, soups or vegetable dishes. They are also very popular as a condiment for meat and fish dishes or as pesto. However, when harvesting garlic mustard, you should be careful to harvest only the young, fresh leaves, as older leaves can taste bitter.

Ingredients for a quick and delicious pasta dish with garlic mustard pesto:

• 150 g young garlic mustard
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 150 g pasta of choice
• parmesan optional

Directions:

1. Wash the young garlic mustard thoroughly and dry it with a towel.
2. Cook the noodles until cooked through.
3. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
4. Add the cooked pasta.
5. Add the mustard to the young garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly wilted, another 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Add the lemon juice and mix well.
7. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the pasta with a little parmesan. Enjoy your meal.

With wild herbs and medicinal plants all year round

Garlic mustard is a wild plant found in abundance here. We would like to introduce these plants to you. That’s why we have our book.»With wild herbs and medicinal plants all year round“(available here) writing that represents local wild herbs and medicinal plants that can actually be found here. The book is divided into seasons and contains the basic characteristics of each plant, its location, identification and ingredients, as well as tips for use in the medicine cabinet and witch’s kitchen. The book was developed by us and is only available exclusively in our herbalist’s shop www.die-moderne-Kräuterhexe.de available. In the shop you will also find our seasonal wild herb calendar. We send each book to you personally.

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