It’s wild garlic season, which is as much cause for celebration on the drinks trolley as it is in the kitchen. Forage your own, ideally before the plants flower, or ask a decent greengrocer to get some in for you.Wild garlic martiniServes 1For the wild garlic gin1 big handful wild garlic leaves, washed and roughly chopped1 bottle gin (750ml) – I use Tanqueray No 10 for its citrussy flavourFor the martini 60ml wild garlic gin (see above and method)20ml dry white vermouth – I use Scarpa Extra Dry
10ml pure honeyPut the wild garlic leaves in a large jar, pour the gin on top, seal and pop in the fridge to infuse for anything between 24 and 72 hours – a shorter infusion often results in a better balance of flavour, but taste it daily, to check it’s not turning too strong or bitter.Once the gin is to your taste, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or coffee filter to remove all the solids and sediment; ideally, do this twice to get rid of all the impurities. Pour into a clean bottle and store in the fridge, where it will keep for up to three months.Chill a martini glass in the freezer for an hour (or fill it with ice while you’re mixing the drink, then discard). Pour the gin, vermouth and honey into a mixing glass, fill with ice and stir until the glass feels cold – no James Bond shaking here, please. Strain into the martini glass and serve.
