Mild verde sauce, ginger carrots and dilly beans
What started as a one-off experiment to preserve my home grown grapefruit has evolved into a mild obsession with the ancient art of lacto-fermentation and delivered a fridge full of probiotic goodness. It’s a topic far too big to fit into one diary, so tonight I’ll just share a few simple recipes suitable for beginners.
I cannot overstate how safe this technique is. It predates refrigeration by thousands of years. Fermented foods aren’t just dietary staples worldwide; foods like sauerkraut, miso, kimchi, fish sauce, yogurt and kvass define the flavors we associate with cultural culinary traditions. If you can measure ingredients well enough to bake cookies, you should have no problem successfully fermenting vegetables.
Lacto fermentation works because salty brine inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria, allowing good bacteria to proliferate. If a batch goes bad, it will be obvious and you won’t be tempted to eat it. Fresh vegetables carry a higher risk of E. coli and you’re more likely to get botulism from food home canned in a boiling water bath than from a home ferment. For my fellow non-chemists, Al Roker explains the science here. www.nbclearn.com/...
These recipes require no specialized equipment. Air lock lids are a convenient way to manage CO2 buildup without daily maintenance and glass weights make it easy to keep the food submerged in the brine. I don’t use either; I enjoy the daily ritual of checking my ferments and ¼ cup of brine in a plastic baggie works fine as a weight.
For a first project, you can’t go wrong with carrots. The high sugar content means they quickly develop a satisfying fizziness indicating the lactic acid bacteria is actively multiplying, consuming the sugars, and producing carbon dioxide. I start tasting my carrots after 3 days and they’re usually ready (as in they taste awesome) in a week.
Dilly Carrot Chips
1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
3 cups water
4-5 large carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2” chips (or thinner if you prefer)
1-2 sprigs of fresh dill
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
To make the brine, boil the water and salt and set aside to cool. Place garlic, dill and peppercorns in a quart mason jar and cover with carrots to 2” from the top. Cover with brine and weight to ensure they’re completely submerged. Secure lid and allow to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
After 24 hours, loosen the lid to burp out any CO2 buildup then screw it back on, making sure the carrots are still covered. Repeat every 12-24 hours until it stops bubbling, the brine becomes cloudy, and the aroma is pleasantly acidic.
Freshly made vs. fermented 7 days
Lemon Ginger Sauerkraut
2 lbs fresh cabbage, shredded
1 medium sweet onion, peeled and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
¼ wedge fresh lemon with peel (preferably organic)
2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 whole star anise
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
Shred cabbage, place in a large bowl, and sprinkle with the salt. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes until the cabbage softens and begins to release its liquid. Squeeze the cabbage with your hands until it becomes limp and releases more juice. Add the carrots and onion and toss to combine.
Place the lemon and spices in a clean quart jar and pack the vegetables and juice in as tightly as you can to prevent air bubbles (I use a stone pestle). Secure the lid, let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours, and pack it down tighter making sure all the veggies are covered. Put it in a dark place and leave it undisturbed for a month.
Try a small piece every week or two. When it’s sour enough for your liking, put it in the fridge where it will keep for 6-12 months.
Lemon ginger sauerkraut
Mild Verde Sauce
1 tbsp coarse kosher salt
3 cups water
1 lb tomatillos, peeled and cut in half
1 med sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 jalapeño peppers, sliced
Dissolve the salt in boiling water and let cool. Pack the rest of the ingredients into a clean quart jar, cover with brine, and weight so the veggies are covered. Secure the lid and ferment at room temperature for 2-3 weeks, checking every few days and burping as needed.
Strain the veggies into a blender and blend until smooth, adding liquid as necessary. The sauce keeps 3-6 months in the fridge and is amazing on eggs, tortillas, beans and burgers.
Want to learn more about the art, science, and history of fermentation? Check out the Earth episode of Michael Pollan’s Cooked series on Netflix and/or Sandor Katz’s book, The Art of Fermentation. Want to try it? r/fermentation on Reddit is my go-to resource for tips, troubleshooting, links and advice.
Thanks for reading! What’s for dinner at your place?
