Lacto-fermented Japanese Knotweed Pickles is a modern British wild food recipe (based on German sauerkraut) for a preserve of Japanese knotweed shoots lacto fermented in a weak brine. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Lacto-fermented Japanese Knotweed Pickles.
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Lacto-fermenting Japanese knotweed shoots in brine is probably one of the best ways of preparing this vegetable for the novice and produces a vegetable that most people will like. The flavour is mellowed and the plant does not produce the unpleasant mucilage that puts many people off eating it. You will need to start with quite thick stems that are easy to peel for this recipe.
Ingredients:
300g Young Japanese knotweed shoots, peeled, tips discarded preferably thick chubby ones from plants under 30cm
500ml water
2 tbsp sea salt 3% salt
To Flavour:
4-5 sprigs of fresh dill
2 fresh garlic cloves
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 small hot chillies
2 strips of lemon zest
1 tsp dried Szechuan peppercorns
Method:
Slice the Japanese knotweed shoots into 8cm lengths then toss with the flavourings and pack into a 1l kilner-type jar. Mix together the salt and water until dissolved then pout into the jar, ensuring the contents are completely submerged.
Secure the lid then leave out in the sun, opening the jars occasionally to burp them. The knotweed pickles will begin to sour in a few days, and develop good flavour in the brine at room temperature after only 48 hours. Once fermented, the jar can be refrigerated, or it can stored at room temperature.
To use the pickles, take them out of the jar and cut into slices or rounds (or whatever shape you like).
These make an excellent garnish for white meat or fish.
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