Wild Garlic Fermenting and other recipes. Quick run out to the woods, the wild garlic has appeared. This very much depends on when you are reading this but if it is early spring (March/April time) then the damp woods near you should be full of these garlicky goodies.
Best places to find wild garlic seems to be damp woodland (very easy to find in Yorkshire). The leaves are wide and have a very distinctive garlic smell when you crush the leaves. The younger leaves are pefect eaten in salads, whilst the larger, later leaves are great for fermenting. Don’t forget the flowers make a pretty addition to a salad. You can also pickle the young flower buds.
Wild Garlic Fermenting and other recipes
Wild garlic is a wonderful forager’s find. It is easy to identify with its wide leaves, white flowers, and very pungent garlic smell. It is great in salads or used to stuff a chicken. This time though we were going to lacto ferment our wild garlic.
Wild Garlic ferment
Lacto fermenting is a simple way to preserve vegetables. It is the basis of Saurekraut and Kimchi, the beneficial bacteria is left to ferment whilst being kept safe by adding salt which suppresses the bad bacteria.
We picked about 500 grams which is about half a carrier bag full. When we got it home we gave it a good rinse and dry. Put the garlic in a large bowl, we then added 10g salt (now if you are in the UK as we are you can add any salt as we don’t add iodine to salt but in the US they do) I do prefer to use Himalayan pink salt for fermenting. Leave for 10 minutes then give it all a very good scrunch till it turns moist add a grating of fresh ginger about 1cm cube. Pack into a jar and weigh down. Leave for at least three days in a dark place but not too cold.
Taste after 3 days and it will have developed a sour tang. You can leave to develop longer or you can now move it to the fridge which will slow down the fermentation process. Use it as a side with many grilled meat dishes or add to a cheese sandwich. Delicious.
Wild Garlic Chicken recipe
If the thought of fermenting wild garlic is too much then a delicious quick and easy way to use it is to stuff it under the skin of a chicken prior to roasting. Chop a handful of wild garlic and mix with oil and use to put under the skin of the chicken. This gives a delicious subtle garlic taste to the chicken.
Wild Garlic Butter recipe
Blend wild garlic with butter (even add a splash of kefir to make a more chefy cultured butter). Use greaseproof paper to create a sausage, and chill in the fridge for an hour or until you are ready to use.
Wild Garlic pesto recipe
I think this pesto is best made with almonds but feel free to swap and use walnuts or the more traditional pine nuts. Gently toast 100g nuts till they smell nutty, put the cooled nuts, 100g wild garlic, 100g parmesan, zest of a lemon in a blender and pulse. Slowly add Extra virgin Rapeseed oil to loosen the mixture.
I serve on toasted sourdough or it is beautiful tossed through pasta
Wild garlic fermenting and other recipes
what ever you choose to do with your wild garlic it is really a good way to develop your foraging. Beginners foraging in the UK would comprise of wild garlic, elderflowers, blackberries, sloes, and crab apples it is very hard to go wrong with spotting these ingredients and they make delicious seasonal treats to add to your larder.
