PAN FRIED MUSHROOMS AND BABY POTATOES WITH WILD GARLIC
This simple, seasonal recipe celebrates the best of spring with new potatoes, wild garlic and mushrooms.
Wild garlic, a member of the allium family (alongside onions, leeks, and chives), is considered pungent and warming in Ayurveda — qualities that help awaken sluggish digestion and clear spring’s residual dampness and heaviness. Adding it to your dishes helps stoke Agni (your digestive fire), clear mucus, and mobilise the stagnation that often lingers after winter. Its stimulating and gently detoxifying nature makes it especially beneficial at this time of year, when the body is naturally ready to lighten and renew.
In the UK, wild garlic season peaks from late February through to June. The leaves are at their most tender before the flowers emerge, typically from March to April. But I find it even more exciting to collect now, when the delicate, star-shaped blossoms are out — they add something extra special to your dishes.
This dish came together over Easter weekend in North Devon, when I stumbled upon a sea of wild garlic leaves (read more tips on harvesting wild garlic below), their blossoms bobbing in the breeze. We were staying in an eco-luxe lodge by the River Mole, and part of the breakfast pack included local new potatoes and chestnut mushrooms. I gathered an armful of fresh garlic leaves and walked the 100 yards back to the lodge to whip up this dish for brunch — it was definitely a winner.
A note on the mushrooms: since doing a mushroom foraging course with author and wild food expert Miles Irving, I’ve adopted the Japanese method of boiling mushrooms before sautéing or stir-frying them. It helps intensify their flavour, improves their texture, and prevents them from absorbing too much oil. Boiling also breaks down their cell structure, making them more tender and easier to cook.
Not only does it mean less faff trying to wipe individual mushrooms clean - just wash like your other fruit and veg - but you get a tasty sautéed mushroom that isn’t greasy. Toss them with pan-fried potatoes, ribbons of fresh wild garlic and a splash of lemon juice and you’re away!
METHOD
Wash and peel the potatoes (this helps reduce the alkaloids which are more concentrated in the skin) and slice into 5mm rounds, add to a large heavy bottomed pan with an inch of water and simmer, lid on. When they are starting to become tender, add some ghee or olive oil and a little salt and remove the lid, allowing the water to evaporate and the potatoes to start to brown in the fat. Once tender and browned, transfer to a plate.
Wash the mushrooms and slice into 5mm rounds. Add to the pan with an inch of water and bring to the boil, lid on, and cook for a few minutes. After a couple of mins, remove the lid. Add some olive oil and ghee and some salt, gently stir while, allowing the water to evaporate and the mushrooms to brown in the fat.
When they are nicely browned, add the ribbons of wild garlic to the pan and toss together, allowing the garlic leaves to cook in for a minute or two until starting to wilt. Add the potatoes back to the pan and heat everything through, with a splash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar and a dash of freshly ground black pepper.
Taste, adjust seasoning and serve straight away, decorating with the fresh flowers if you have them!
INGREDIENTS
500g baby/new potatoes
300g chestnut mushrooms
75g wild garlic leaves, saving flowers to garnish if available
Ghee or extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground black pepper
Splash of lemon juice or balsamic vinegar
East by West tips for harvesting Wild Garlic:
Choose clean areas: Avoid picking near busy roads, industrial sites, or dog-walking paths, as wild garlic can absorb pollutants and contaminants from the soil and air. Seek woodlands or shaded riverbanks away from urban activity.
Know your plant: Wild garlic (Allium ursinum) has broad, pointed green leaves, a garlicky smell when crushed, and white star-shaped flowers. Be sure not to confuse it with toxic lookalikes like lily of the valley — always check the scent and leaf shape.
Harvest mindfully: Pick a few leaves from each plant rather than uprooting whole plants. This allows the patch to continue thriving and ensures future growth. Use scissors or gently pinch the leaves to avoid damaging the bulbs and roots.
Go early: For the best flavour and nutrition, harvest young leaves in early spring before flowering — though the flowers are also edible and lovely in salads.
Wash well: Rinse thoroughly at home to remove any hidden dirt or insects before using.