There’s Capers In The Woods

Being a professional forager for the past 16 years, I have done more than my fair share of fermenting, pickling and preserving. It has become somewhat of an obsession. So I am equally overjoyed and annoyed that I have only just discovered Emma Basic’s Sushi Vinegar. It is far more user friendly than the rest. It is mild, sweet and far less acidic. The Japanese have been using it for pickling since the 1600’s and I, since last week.

Ahem! ‘Brushes both shoulders’.

It is always fun collecting wild garlic seed pods, just head to your nearest deciduous woodland that has a stream and you should find some. When harvesting, simply pluck the whole seed head from the top of its stem, it should just pop off in an extremely satisfying manner. Be sure never to uproot the plant as we want the seed pods to disperse onto the forest floor, ensuring new growth the following year.

They appear later on in the season when the wild garlic flowers, also a great edible, develop into this new form. These have a dark green stem that often stand up above the leaves and are topped by these wonderfully potent ball bearing sized seed pods that splay out from the stem in all directions. And if you are still not sure that you have found the plant you are after, simply crush or roll the plant between your hands and you will be met with the heady garlic aroma so akin to this time of year, for me anyways, and hopefully you in the years to come.  Wild Garlic Seed Pods (Allium Ursinum).

Once I had collected a good few handfuls, I took them home to begin pickling. It is such a simple and enjoyable form of cooking, and you are left with produce that will last you months. There is a definite air of satisfaction that falls over you when eating a hyper seasonal wild plant out of season. I implore you to partake in this simple enjoyment as I know it will become an annual staple of your store cupboard.

The result is a marvel. Just like a regular caper but with a mellow garlicky hum.

Go foraging, you never know what you might find!

  Pickled Wild Garlic Seed Pods

Ingredients

Wild Garlic Seed Pods 200g

Water 300ml

Emma Basic Sushi Vinegar 200ml

Sugar 100g

Method

Remove all the stems from the seed pods and wash. Add the vinegar, sugar and water to a pan and heat on a low to medium setting. Constantly stirring the sugar until it disappears to form part of the pickle liquor. Add the seed pods to an airtight container and pour over the pickle liquor. Leave to cool and then close the lid. Serve on literally anything.