Fermented wild garlic or spring onions

• wild garlic↗600g fresh g

  or spring onions

• demerara sugar↗pinch of
• sea salt↗1½ tsp tsp
• mineral water↗still

  for topping

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   You must sterilize the jars before starting and you will need to check the fermentation daily for four to seven days.

2. 2

   Thoroughly wash the wild garlic or spring onions, then dry them with a clean kitchen towel or in a salad centrifuge. Finely chop them with a knife, then place a layer in a bowl. Sprinkle a little sugar and salt, and repeat with the next layer, adding sugar and salt until all the vegetables are used. Leave for about 30 minutes to start moisture release.

3. 3

   Massage them well with the salt/juice. They will turn dark green and begin to lose their shape. Leave for another 30 minutes.

4. 4

   Pack the vegetables into a sterilized jar, pressing them down (I use the end of a clean rolling pin) to remove air bubbles. Continue packing and pressing until all vegetables are in the jar. Press to check if there is enough liquid to cover them (add a little mineral water if needed), and when they are in brine, fold a piece of parchment paper and press it tightly into the jar — this will hold them down and ensure submersion.

5. 5

   Cover with clean muslin and secure with a rubber band. Place in a cool dark spot for four to seven days, depending on how ‘funky’ you want the flavor. Check daily and “release gases” by removing the lid and putting it back to let gases escape. When the taste satisfies you, remove the parchment and muslin, and seal with the lid. Put in the refrigerator to stop fermentation. It will keep in the fridge for months.