Springtime in Pennsylvania is a wonderful time of the year to get out and enjoy what nature has to offer. The birds are making their springtime debut and the wildflowers are beginning to bloom. Our weather during this time is a tug of war between seasons.
Winter is trying its best to keep us in its clutches and Spring is inevitably forcing Old Man Winter out. This year we had six inches of snow in April, along with temperatures in the 70s, and when May came around, we had freeze warnings.
The arrival of April and May bring fantastic foraging opportunities. A few years ago my husband and I started our search for wild leeks. Wild leeks (also known as ramps) are essentially wild onions that have a distinctive garlic flavor. They have an extremely strong smell!
Where the heck do I find leeks?
They can be found on hillsides, creek bottoms, and in hardwood forests where the soil is rich and moist. I have read that it can take 18 months for a leek to germinate from seed and as long as 7 years to grow to a harvestable size, therefore they should be sustainably harvested. Always remember to have an experienced person with you if you decide to forage for food. Many of the plants may have poisonous look-a-likes.
You don’t need to get fancy with these tasty treats. We like to eat them raw, thrown in with eggs, burgers, potatoes…..whatever! This year I decided to try some pesto.
📖 Recipe
Wild Leek Pesto
Wild Leek and Walnut Pesto is a versatile sauce full of flavor with many uses.
- Prep Time: 30
- Total Time: 30
- Yield: ¾ - 1 cup 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 2 cups of leeks, including the leaves, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon
- ¼ cup walnuts, toasted
- ¼ cup olive oil (more if needed)
- ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
- Sea salt to taste
Instructions
Get Started
- Toast walnuts in a pan over medium heat stirring so they don’t burn. This helps to intensify the flavor of the nuts. This should take under 5 minutes.
- Add the chopped leeks and leaves along with the walnuts to your processor and pulse until it’s a smooth consistency.
- Next, add the parmesan cheese.
- Add the olive oil.
Finish Up
- This is a recipe that is very versatile. Adjust according to your own taste.
- Taste as you go! Season with salt and pepper.
Notes
How you plan to use the pesto will dictate how much olive oil to use to get the right texture. We are eating it on crackers so I wanted it to be spreadable. If it will be used with pasta, you may want to add more so it doesn't get dry.
Substitute different cheeses, nuts, or additional spices, such as fresh basil or parsley. It will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. You can’t mess this one up.
Keywords: leeks, walnuts, pesto
David (Doggy Daddy) says
This pesto is so tasty - it inspired me to make one with carrot tops 🙂
★★★★★