Fermented Chickweed

Lactic acid fermentation has been the traditional way to preserve foods before refrigeration. The added benefit of fermenting foods is that the process breaks down the plant?s cell walls and thereby makes more of the nutrients available to your body.

Fermenting wild edible plants creates salty/sour pickles that you can use to accompany your meals. These wild pickles are something of an acquired taste, but only because in Britain we have removed these flavours from our tables. Yet in all cultures, fermented foods have been the norm for centuries.

So give them a try. Start small and build up, just as coffee is an acquired taste (you gotta drink more of it before you can start to enjoy it), likewise so with wild ferments.

Ingredients

Colander full of washed chickweed
Sea salt
Water

Step One

Place the chickweed in a large bowl.
Dissolve 2-3 teaspoons of sea salt in 1 litre of water (brine). Then pour over the chickweed until the plant is submerged underneath the brine.
Put a plate on top and place a jar containing water on the plate to weigh it down. (See photo above)
The chickweed must be left submerged for 24 hours.

Step Two

After 24 hours, drain off the brine and push the chickweed into a jar.
Mash the chickweed down with the end of a rolling pin or something like that. Be careful not to break the glass.
Now pour just enough brine to cover the mashed chickweed.
Next fill a bottle up with water and insert into the jar. This will keep the chickweed submerged.
Leave for at minimum 7 days, then taste every other day to see how the flavours are developing.
This recipe can use any wild greens or combinations there of. There are many unique wild flavours to explore using wild fermentation.

Serves: 6