Garlic Mustard w/ Pine Nuts & Capers



Garlic Mustard
There are no surprises here: garlic mustard tastes like mustard leaves with a hint of garlic. The young leaves in early Spring tend to be the most palatable for eaters with an aversion to bitter flavors, but this weekโs recipe is designed to taste great regardless of when the leaves are harvested. Later in the season, I like sauteeing or pickling the stalks of garlic mustard. The Summer flowers make a delightfully punchy garnish. The roots can be used to make horseradish. The seeds can be ground into mustard. But Iโm always drawn to the versatility, ubiquity, and earthy taste of the fresh young leaves. Use garlic mustard as you would mustard greens, turnip greens, or kale (all of which are in the same plant family of brassicas). Simmer or stew them, blend them into sauces, or insert them sparingly raw in salads and sandwiches.
It may be challenging to find fresh garlic mustard leaves for purchase, but that shouldnโt stop you from foraging it yourself or asking a friend to point it out to you. Like purple dead-nettle, this plant is invasive, and harvesting it can be an act of environmental stewardship. See if your local farmer or gardener has any on their property; creating demand for plants like this puts big flavors in your kitchen while supporting native plants and habitats. Check the resources below if youโre curious to learn more.
If youโve been keeping up with our flavor newsletters, you wonโt be surprised that the internet is filled with recipes for garlic mustard pesto and chimichurri (theyโre always the go-to for wild greens). Yangโs Nourishing Kitchen has a no-frills recipe for sauteed garlic mustard, and a 2009 Garlic Mustard Challenge in Wisconsin produced a community cookbook with lots of inspiration. Recipes include a ravioli, an egg salad, and something called โGarlic Mustard Green Yogurt Froth.โ
If you missed TWGโs Snack Book, nowโs a good time to give it a peek (it includes a recipe for a wasabi-like garlic mustard mustard).




Find the Flavor
Find Garlic Mustard
โ Forage it throughout North America
โ Ask your local farmer or gardener
โ Purchase online from Foraged
Find Garlic Mustard Products
โ Garlic Mustard Root on Etsy
โ Dried Garlic Mustard Leaves on Etsy
References & Resources
Forager Chefโs Garlic Mustard Shoots with Ramp Leaf Butter
Eat the Invaders Garlic Mustard Article
Forager Chefsโ Garlic Mustard Article
Trillium: Wild Edibles Garlic Mustard Video
Dina Falconiโs Garlic Mustard Video
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