Wild garlic, nettle, ham & gruyère soda bread
Wild garlic is one of the great gifts given to us by Mother Nature. I get so excited walking into the woods behind our village in early spring to see if the little green spears have started to shoot up through the woodland floor. Sometimes I’m caught by surprise and don’t have my basket with me, so I pick handfuls of leaves and stuff them into the pockets of my coat. The leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and are best when young. The flowers are also edible, showing up from April to June. As for nettles, my grannies and great-aunts used them a lot in their cooking - they said they tasted like spinach and were good for the blood and full of nutrients.
Once nettles are cooked, they don’t sting but always make sure to wear gloves when picking them. For this recipe, I make a pesto with wild garlic leaves, then spread it onto the soda bread dough along with nettles and cheese. I then roll up the dough with and bake it. Once cooled and sliced it reveals a vibrant green swirl. Try it, you’ll love it.
See all the best recipes from the House & Garden archive.
Ingredients
For the bread
For the wild garlic pesto
Preparation
Method
Step 1
First make the pesto. Toast the pine nuts in a small frying pan over a medium heat for 3-4 minutes until evenly coloured, then set aside to cool.
Step 2
Toast the hazelnuts or almonds in the same pan for 4-5 minutes, then set aside to cool.
Step 3
Put the wild garlic leaves and nuts into a food processor and pulse a few times until they are roughly chopped. Add the parmesan and some salt and pepper. Pulse until everything is mixed and then gradually add the oil pulsing until you achieve your desired consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Step 4
Use a spatula to scrape the pesto into a sterilised jar, leaving 5-7 cm (2-3 inches) of space in the top of the jar. Tap the jar gently to remove any pockets of air (trapped air can cause contamination) and pour in enough oil to cover the surface of the pesto. This seals the surface and keeps it fresher for longer. It will keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator as long as it is covered with a layer of oil.
Step 5
Preheat the oven to 180C (400F/gas 6). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
Step 6
Sift the flour, salt and bicarbonate of soda into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the buttermilk and 55 ml (2 fl oz) cold water. Mix to a soft dough, adding another 1 tablespoon of water if needed.
Step 7
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll it into a 30 x 25cm (12 x 10 inch) rectangle. Make sure the dough isn’t sticking to the surface.
Step 8
Spread the pesto over the dough, then lay the slices of ham on top, sprinkle over the cheese and finish with the nettle leaves.
Step 9
Starting from the short side, roll the dough up into a log, then seal the ends and lift the loaf onto the prepared baking sheet. Lightly dust with flour. Make five slashes on the top of the loaf using a sharp knife.
Step 10
Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes until risen, lightly browned and hollow-sounding when tapped underneath.
Step 11
Remove from the oven, wrap in a clean dish towel or cloth and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
