Pickled wild garlic seeds

This is a hit with virtually everyone. I don’t remember where I originally got the idea from but in recent years it’s spread throughout the foraging community like a patch of wild garlic in your local woodland. Very simple, very delicious!

Method:

  • Pick or snip a couple of thousand wild garlic seeds (or as many as you think you’ll want to eat).
  • Wash and snip the seeds off, cutting through those umbels above the main plant stems. Don’t worry too much about removing those little stalks attached to the seeds, they’ll pickle nicely.
  • Lay seeds out to partially dry.
  • Add seeds to a large jar and salt generously.
  • Leave in the fridge for about a week then top up with apple cider vinegar.
  • Place back in the fridge and leave for at least a few days to pickle (I’ve left for anything up to about two weeks and it’s been fine).
  • Strain the vinegar (keep this to use in salad dressings etc as it’s tasty and extremely good for you).
  • Top up your jar of pickled seeds with olive oil.
  • Store in the fridge and enjoy.

Pickled garlic seeds in action on a spring foraging walk in Somerset. They’re a condiment I bring along to virtually all my foraging walks and courses.