How to Fall in Love with Fermented Wild Garlic
Wild garlic (Allium ursinum), also known as ramsons, is about to make its appearance. It usually begins to grow around February or March in shaded broadleaf woodlands, thriving in the nutrient-rich soil of northern temperate climates. The unmistakable garlicky aroma, which can make mouths water, is a telltale sign that you’re in the right place at the right time.
Wild garlic is at its best when eaten raw, straight from the forest floor. It's delicious in salads, sandwiches, and pesto, but also adds a punch to soups, stir-fries, and more. Since the season for wild garlic doesn’t last long and fresh leaves don’t store well, my favourite way of keeping some for later is by lacto-fermentation. Fermented wild garlic can be enjoyed raw (my personal favourite), added to soups and stews, or dried to create a potent source of umami.
Meaning of A. ursinum
There are at least two theories about the meaning of its Latin name: A. ursinum (bear’s allium). One theory suggests that brown bears (Ursus arctos), after emerging from hibernation, would gorge on wild garlic just as it reached its peak. Alternatively, the name might be linked to the constellation Ursa Major, since ancient Greeks considered ramsons to be the northernmost allium species.
Harvesting
Focus on harvesting the leaves—don’t bother with the bulbs, as they’re not worth the effort, and it’s illegal to uproot plants in Scotland without landowner permission.
Be mindful that the rising popularity of foraging for ramsons, combined with competition from non-native species like few-flowered leek and three-cornered leek, could threaten local A. ursinum populations. It takes 4 to 8 years for a plant to grow from a bulbil to a fully grown specimen.
Whenever possible, choose to forage invasive leeks instead. They’re equally good in many dishes like pesto, stir-fries, and some ferments, and help preserve native wild garlic. Keep an eye on known patches, harvest in rotation, and don’t over-harvest. Most importantly, enjoy!
The Fermentation Process
Lacto-fermentation is an ancient food preservation technique used by many cultures, and it’s incredibly satisfying when done right. The unique flavour, crunch, and tang it produces will brighten up a dull winter diet, especially if you’re committed to eating locally sourced food.
Lacto-fermentation occurs when lactic acid bacteria (LAB) break down sugars and other carbohydrates, producing lactic acid and other organic compounds. This process thrives in an oxygen-free environment, where lactic acid acts as a preservative, preventing the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi, and giving the ferment its characteristic acidic flavour.
Taste and the Microbial Battle
Fermented foods aren’t just about unusual smells and intriguing flavours. The fermentation process also offers significant health benefits, both for your gut and your overall wellbeing. Scientific studies highlight the importance of maintaining healthy gut flora and the role of fermented foods in supporting mental and physical health.
There’s more to fermentation than meets the eye. It’s an evolutionary arms race on a micro scale. Picture the vegetables in your fermentation jar as a miniature rainforest or vegetable garden, where bacteria and fungi fight for space and resources. These microorganisms play different roles, excreting metabolites to fend off competitors. They tolerate different levels of pH and salinity, and for a great-tasting ferment, all these microorganisms are essential. Your job is to create the right conditions for LAB to thrive, then step back and monitor the process. It’s a bit like gardening: shredding and salting is like digging and sowing, massaging and compressing is like raking and watering, While temperature and oxygen control is akin to weeding and fertilising.
Recipe – Fermented Wild Garlic
To make a good ferment, you’ll need:
-Fresh, clean leaves
-Salt
-A fermentation vessel (ceramic or glass)
The Process
Cut the clean plants into pieces about 3–6 cm long. This is purely for practical reasons, as smaller pieces are easier to take out of the jar.- Sprinkle salt at a ratio of 1.5%–2% (15–20g of salt per 1kg of leaves). LAB are salt-tolerant, unlike most harmful bacteria. But be careful: too much salt will inhibit LAB growth and make your ferment overly salty. If you think you've added too much, just add more garlic leaves or mix in other plants like garlic mustard or thinly sliced vegetables such as white cabbage.
- Pack the leaves tightly into a ceramic or glass container, and weigh them down. You can use ceramic weights or washed pebbles—avoid metal, as it can react with the acid, and plastic, as it may leach harmful chemicals. Squeeze out as much air as possible and ensure all plant matter is submerged under the liquid. Any pieces sticking out can be contaminated by moulds.
- Store the vessel out of direct sunlight and keep the temperature consistent. Fermenting at lower temperatures (up to 16°C) over a longer period gives you more control over the process and results in a higher-quality product. Ferments made this way can last for over two years in the fridge without losing texture or flavour.
- Once the fermentation is complete, transfer the garlic to smaller glass jars, pack tightly, and refrigerate. When is it ready? Anywhere from 5 to 20 days, depending on factors like temperature, salt content, and personal preference. Trust your senses, but when in doubt, refer to literature like Sandor Felix Katz’s The Art of Fermentation, one of my favourite books on the subject.
References
Sobolewska, D., Podolak, I. and Makowska-Wąs, J. (2013). Allium ursinum: botanical, phytochemical and pharmacological overview. Phytochemistry Reviews, 14(1), pp.81-97.
Oborny, B., Botta-Dukát, Z., Rudolf, K. and Morschhauser, T. (2011). Population ecology of Allium ursinum, a space-monopolizing clonal plant. Acta Botanica Hungarica, 53(3-4), pp.371-388.
Swain, M., Anandharaj, M., Ray, R. and Parveen Rani, R. (2014). Fermented Fruits and Vegetables of Asia: A Potential Source of Probiotics. Biotechnology Research International, 2014, pp.1-19.
Kim, B., Hong, V., Yang, J., Hyun, H., Im, J., Hwang, J., Yoon, S. and Kim, J. (2016). A Review of Fermented Foods with Beneficial Effects on Brain and Cognitive Function. Preventive Nutrition and Food Science, 21(4), pp.297-309.
Pöhö, P., et al. (2015). The Dynamics of the Human Infant Gut Microbiome in Development and in Progression toward Type 1 Diabetes. Cell Host & Microbe, 17(2), pp.260-273.
Clapp, M., Aurora, N., Herrera, L., Bhatia, M., Wilen, E. and Wakefield, S. (2017). Gut microbiota’s effect on mental health: the gut-brain axis. Clinics and Practice, 7(4).
Azad, M., Sarker, M., Li, T. and Yin, J. (2018). Probiotic Species in the Modulation of Gut Microbiota: An Overview. BioMed Research International, 2018, pp.1-8.
Pisol, B., Abdullah, N., Khalil, K. A. and Nuraida, L. (2015). Isolation and identification of lactic acid bacteria from different stages of traditional Malaysian tempeh production. Malaysian Journal of Microbiology.