This is such an easy way of preserving an amazing free food for months to come, with very little ingredients or even effort!
Harvest your wild garlic and whilst its really fresh, wash it, pat it dry and shred it. Use a big bowl and work in layers of shredded garlic and a sprinkle of the sea salt. You should use 2% of the weight in salt to garlic. This seems so little, but don’t be tempted to use more or it will be too salty. The salt is not used to preserve the garlic, but simply used to draw out the natural moisture of the plant.
Leave the layers to stand for up to an hour at room temperature and then give them a good mix and a squish with your hands, until they become wet and change to a darker green.
Now place a smaller plate over the greens and use something heavy to weight it down. Simply leave it for up to 24 hrs.
Then sterilise your jar. I used a 1 litre kilner jar for 400g wild garlic and 8g sea salt. Pack your greens into the bottom of the jar, flatten it down and use either sterilised fermenting weights to hold the greens under the liquid or scrunch up a piece of greaseproof paper and weigh this down with a ramekin or jam jar full of water and close the lid. You’ll need the moisture level above the greens. They need to be fully submerged to preserve them. If theres not enough liquid, top up with a small amount of still mineral water (NOT tap water as the additives slow down the fermentation. )
Leave your jar in an ambient room temperature and don’t be alarmed by bubbles or white froth. It needs to ferment for at least a week, Taste it and when you are happy with the flavour, decant into smaller sealed pots and pop in the fridge or a cool room such as a garage or cellar. These will keep for a couple of years, but once opened used within a month.
This is great as a layer under cheese on toast, on jacket potatoes or served as a garnish on meat or vegetable dishes. Its also great with poached eggs in the morning. Enjoy!
