In amongst all the yellows of spring – the hardy forsythia, sweet primroses, reliable daffs and dandelions – the one we are waiting for most is the sun. I am not going to whinge about jet washing the dog after every muddy walk, racing outside to drag sheets off the line or having a kitchen full of dripping anoraks, but really, seriously, I have just about had enough of the rain. I think I can speak for all of us on this.
On the plus side, I got the gutter mended so I no longer have to catch the leak in a bucket, much to Raff’s surprise. When he returned from university for Easter, he found a fully functioning drainage system, new lightbulbs in the kitchen ceiling and a back doormat. He is convinced we have come into some money without telling him. It’s what spring and the change of clocks does. It casts a clean, fresh light and deep shame on winter stagnancy.
The arrival of April has filled me with great hope for better weather, particularly after a tantalising stretch of sun over the weekend which made me boldly step out without a coat (once) and pour my first glass of pink wine. As if this wasn’t encouraging enough, the village and surrounding countryside is dotted with clumps of wild garlic, the pungent scent wafting under nostrils and reminding me of stalwart recipes for pesto, scones, bread, sauces and flavoured salt. Every year, when I write somewhere about this forager’s joy, I apologise to those who are not within picking distance of the plant, but that is probably because you are a short walk away from a cinema and a robust public transport network and that’s no bad thing, believe me. In the past, I have made wild garlic salt and sent it to friends weeping into their city cortados (coffee apparently) and this has softened the smug blow.
To those who can tiptoe through carpets of the verdant stuff, you may fancy making these scones and for those without, then chives, sauteed leeks or the green fronds from spring onions work very well too. I am pinning my recipe here because several lovely people have asked for it recently, after remembering it from an ancient blog post, and it now feels like one of my signature bakes. I can’t think of a better thing to be known for.
Wild Garlic and Cheddar Cheese Scones
400g plain white flour (or a mix of flours, like half wholemeal and half plain)
1 tbsp caster sugar
2½ tsps baking powder
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
good pinch of salt
good grind of black pepper
180g cold unsalted butter
2 eggs, beat each separately, as one is for the mix and the other is to brush the scones
200g natural yoghurt
25g chopped wild garlic, thinly shredded
150g cheddar cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Makes between 12 and 16.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and pepper together.
Cut the butter into small cubes and rub into the flour (as you would when making pastry), or blitz into breadcrumb texture in the mixer.
Make a well in the middle of the mixture and pour in the beaten egg and yoghurt. Give everything a speedy but good stir to make sure the ingredients are combined. You may need to roll up your sleeves and get your hands stuck in briefly. Now add the grated cheese and garlic and combine thoroughly before shaping the dough into a ball.
Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour and shape your ball into a fat square. Wrap it in parchment and leave to rest and in the fridge for 15 to 30 mins (although when I am in a hurry, I miss this step out).
Roll the chilled dough out on a floured surface to make a fat square about 3cm thick. Cut the dough into 3 strips, then cut those strips into squares, cutting each in half diagonally to create triangles. Pop them on lined baking trays, brush with beaten egg and back for 20-25 minutes.
Try not to eat immediately and leave them on a wire rack to cool (but still be warm enough to make the butter melt a little when you spread it). These should be eaten the day they are made but if, for some strange reason, you have a few left they are delicious toasted.
How I love that recipe!!
A lovely interesting read, as usual. Thank you for the recipe. x