Wild garlic is in abundance right now, in meadows and alongside river banks right across Britain. I picked mine near my mother-in-laws in the North East and didnt waste any time turning it into pesto to store in jars. Its very fragrant and mild and works brilliantly as an accompaniment to lamb and chicken.
We had this meal in mid-week, though it would have been better a for a dinner party. There were so many amazing flavours and it looked very impressive.
Serves 2-4
4 tbsp olive oil
3-4 chicken breasts, boneless but with the skin on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the wild garlic pesto
100g wild garlic leaves
100g walnuts
1 tbsp honey
4-5 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
(For a variation, leave out the honey and replace with 50g grated Parmesan, and swap the walnut for pine nuts)
For the ricotta potatoes
10-12 new potatoes (I used red-skinned potatoes)
200g ricotta cheese
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1. In a food processor, whiz all the pesto ingredients together until you have a rough paste.
2. Bake the potatoes. Wrap them in foil and put in the oven, preheated to 200C/Gas 6. Cook for around 45 mins until tender, Remove and turn the heat down to 180C/Gas 4.
3. Use a sharp knife to slice halfway through each chicken breast to make a pocket. Use a spoon to insert a big dollop of pesto into the pocket of each breast.
4. Add the oil to a large frying pan and heat to medium heat. Cook the chicken skin-side down until the skin is crisp. Transfer to a roasting tin and put in the oven at 180C/Gas 4. Cook for 25-30 mins until the chicken juices run clear when you insert a sharp knife into the thickest part.
5. Mix the ricotta, lemon zest, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Use a sharp knife to slice halfway through the baked new potatoes and add a dollop of ricotta to each one.
6. Serve the chicken breasts with the baked potatoes and steamed Tenderstem broccoli.
