A Fermented Version of Curtido is the Best Ever

If anyone is familiar with Pupusas, those marvelous little antojitos (cravings) from El Salvador, then you also might be familiar with the Curtido that is generally served alongside.

I was first introduced to Pupusas in 1971, in Guatemala at the InterFair, an international fair that brought all sorts of things to exhibit from all sorts of countries. There were stands that had machinery to exhibit for sale, stands that had little handicraft items for sale. It was a study in contrasts. My understanding (as I was only in the country for a little over a year at that point) is that prior to then, where Pupusas were sold at a little stand at that fair, these treats were relatively little known as such. 

Fermented Curtido

But let me tell you, once they were introduced, they spread everywhere like wildfire, soon popping up on many street corners, sold from someone's stand or even from a window in someone's house. They became a staple around our house. We all loved them, including the kids.

So what are Pupusas?

Interestingly, I have never made these, because I have not made tortillas from scratch. Pupusas are nixtamalized corn, ground to make tortillas, then filled with usually one of three things, either minced chicharrones, pureed black beans, or cheese. Once the ball of masa is opened up a bit, then filled, and then patted out to thicker than a tortilla, it is fried or cooked on a hot comal, or clay plate over a fire. As if this was not just goodness itself, there was always a condiment to go with them, called Curtido."

Okay, Curtido?

Curtido means "pickled," implying a vinegar component. This condiment was a lightly pickled mixture of cabbage (the main event) with onion and carrot, possibly garlic, and fresh cilantro and oregano. Salt and vinegar were the pickling ingredients and it would set together in a big jar for a few days. This was doled out along with the pupusas. And it was heavenly.

I love cabbage, just about any old way it comes around. I realize not everyone is as enamored of cabbage as am I, but still. I loved the pupusas, but the curtido positively MADE the flavor. 

So last year I was introduced to fermenting foods, and I quickly went on to make sauerkraut, then a long series of other ferments, some more of a hit than others. I learned a lot over the last year, both about fermenting and what works. I continue to ferment foods on occasion, trying to eat something fermented at least once a day. There is a Red Cabbage and Beet Kraut that has been a real popular ferment with me. My husband won't touch them. If it is pickled in vinegar, look out. But the ferments? No, he doesn't seem to want to try them at all. Me? Oh, MAN, I love them. I am not so into pickled things though. My husband and I - we are a real case of Jack Sprat and his wife. 

Okay, so as I started thinking about Curtido, I wondered if it was possible to make the stuff fermented or not. Obviously, the vinegar would not be used. Fermented vegetables rely on salt to hold off any harmful bacteria while the vegetables themselves begin to ferment. So I set down a recipe and made a one-quart batch to try out. I let it ferment for about 6 weeks. 

The result? This Fermented Curtido is now my top of the list most favorite of ferments! I was concerned about the use of oregano in it. I don't mind some, but this was a little heavier than I generally go with the amount. But it was really delicious. While I have no pupusas to use it with, I sort of make a quickie quesadilla with two corn tortillas and some cheese melted in between. It is marvelous.

Fermenting Curtido

Fermented Curtido

Makes about 1 quart

1 small cabbage, about 1 pound
1 onion, quartered
2 - 3 carrots, peeled and coarse shredded 
2 Serrano chilies, minced or sliced
¼ cup fresh oregano leaves, chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1½ tablespoons coarse sea salt
¼ cup fresh lime juice
½ cup starter from a previous ferment, or whey 
water, if needed

Shred cabbage and place in a large bowl. Slice the onion quarters into thin quarter rings and add to the bowl with the Serranos, carrots oregano, cilantro and sugar. Sprinkle on the salt and toss the vegetables. Let stand for an hour. 

Add in the lime juice and starter liquid (mine was from a batch of fermented salsa) and begin squeezing the vegetables to break them down as much as possible. Alternately, use a meat tenderizer with a flat side to pound the vegetables. Either way, this reduces the volume to about half what was started. The vegetables should have created a lot of juice by this time.

Pack this mixture into one or two jars, preferably the bail and wire latch sort, and pack it down very tightly int he jar. Press very hard to get the vegetables very compact and submerged in their liquid. Leave at least ⅓ of the jar as headspace, because as the vegetables ferment they tend to lift and create an amazing amount of liquid. Cover the vegetables with a cabbage leaf, or even the bottom core end of the cabbage (cut off flat) to press down the vegetables. Use weights if needed to keep everything under the brine. Add water only if the vegetables do not have enough liquid to cover by a minimum of 1 inch. Stick on a piece of masking tape and mark what the ferment is, and what date it started, and what date to check it. 

Set on a counter and cover it with a towel to keep out light. Gently burp the jar daily, opening it only minimally to allow any gases to escape.

Check it in three weeks for flavor. I left mine for 6 weeks and it is absolutely perfect. So perfect that I now have another batch, doubled this time, fermenting away on the counter. I can hardly wait!


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A New and Delightful Cranberry Relish

I had guests with us for much of November, with only a brief hiatus between. While I cooked a lot, I went for the tried and true recipes, rather than invent new ones. Still, in planning for Thanksgiving dinner I was thinking ahead. I wanted to try a type of fermented food I hadn't yet gotten to, namely a Cranberry and Honey Ferment.
 

Honey Fermented Cran-Blueberry Relish

Cardamom pods and seeds

I had seen things fermented with honey, though adding honey to most ferments will stop any fermentation from occurring. Honey is antibacterial, after all. Still, I know that Mead is made with honey, so obviously it will ferment. My understanding is that some sort of water-based food needs to be added to get the fermenting action started, but once started, it does ferment well. Getting the fermentation started takes a little while, so I started it out in October, giving my cranberry ferment a little over 6 weeks fermentation time. I read that in this type of ferment, one should stir the mixture daily until the fermentation begins. Even still, and with the use of an airlock valve, it started to develop Kahm yeast. I intensely dislike the flavor this yeast gives the foods, so I meticulously wiped off the inside jar and carefully skimmed off the white yeast from the top of the ferment. After a couple more days, fermentation took over and there was no more yeast problem.

I happened to have some fresh blueberries on hand when I started this ferment, so I opted to add some in with the cranberries. I also used fresh ginger, which became a quite prominent flavor, so if you really love ginger (which I do), then the recipe will be just fine. If you do not care for ginger, lessen the amount used in this recipe, or omit it altogether.

Honey Fermented Cran-Blueberry Relish

Other flavors I used were whole cardamom seeds, pecans and orange peel. I always add orange peel and orange juice to my cooked cranberry sauce, and I love that mixture, so I kept it in this recipe also. It took no time at all to combine these ingredients, and outside of the Kahm yeast developing, with the need for a little cleanup, it sat happily bubbling on the counter for 6 weeks. I bottled it and refrigerated it the Friday before Thanksgiving.

I absolutely love, love, love this particular ferment! It was well worth the wait. I would have given it more time to ferment (it was till bubbling actively) if I'd had more time, but it got started late, so I live with these results, which are spectacular. The outcome is plenty sweet, despite the fact that no cooking took place. The main difference is that the fermented cranberries are not thickened. Cranberries have natural pectin, so cooking them and with the berries bursting in the pan, the pectin goes to work and this thickens a cooked cranberry sauce. Not so here. This fermented sauce is a bit runnier, but just as sweet.

Honey Fermented Cran-Blueberry Sauce 

Makes about 4 cups

Honey Fermented Cran-Blueberry Relish

4 cups fresh cranberries (about 14 ounces)
4 ounces fresh blueberries 
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, in thin matchsticks
1 teaspoon whole cardamom seeds
½ teaspoon pink Himalayan sea salt
1 tablespoon dried orange peel
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans (2.25 ounces)
1¼ cups raw, organic honey

freshly mixed and set to ferment

In a food processor, pulse the cranberries and blueberries to roughly chop. Pour into a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture into one large (1.5 - 2 liter) wire bail jar (Fido) with an airlock in place. Open the jar once a day and stir down the mixture, for about a week. Once it begins to bubble on its own, leave off stirring and allow the fermentation to run its course. This will take a minimum of 6 weeks and up to 3 months. Once fermented, pour into smaller jars and refrigerate.




While on the topic of cranberry relish, this is the recipe I use every year for Thanksgiving, and I also made it this year, for those who preferred a more traditional taste and feel. Last year I altered it slightly, using Port wine and dried cherries and it was also spectacular, but this one has been my preferred recipe for many many years now.

Cranberry Orange Relish

Cranberry Orange Relish

Makes about 4 cups

10 - 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries
1¾ cups white sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest, freshly grated
½ cup slivered almonds, optional

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered for about 10 to 20 minutes or until the berries have popped and thickened. The mixture will thicken more as it cools. If desired, mash the berries while they cook, to release the insides, which thickens even more. If desired, add in the almonds. Remove from heat and cool before storing in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

A Grain Salad with Barley using Ferments

Last week I used up some leftover wild rice to make a side "salad" dish for a really wonderful Kalbi Flank Steak; both recipes were posted 3 days ago. I love grain "salads" though I don't make them terribly often. I had gone for labs last week also, and found my cholesterol is a bit high. In researching foods that help with the LDL side of things, barley was mentioned in many different sites, because of its soluble fiber. While my husband will not go straight for a grain salad, he will eat them. Yesterday when I made this salad he ate other things he preferred, so it was my side dish. Tonight it will be my main dish as he will not be home for dinner and I often go meatless.

Barley Salad with Fermented Red Onion

I initially set some barley to cook without any true idea of what I was going to do with it. As it cooked, I started thinking of how good the Wild Rice and Corn Salad turned out and realized I still had the other half of the red and green bell peppers I had used in the Wild Rice and Corn Salad, so obviously I would use those in this Barley Salad. The other thing I thought of, after the fact, was that I had a jar of fermented Red Onion Relish in the fridge and had yet to use it. I am sure it would have made an excellent addition to the Wild Rice and Corn Salad, had I remembered it. I also have a jar of Fermented Jalapeno Slices in the fridge and I love a little bit of piquant heat in my foods. 

With these two fermented foods in mind, I decided that this time I was going to use them in this new salad, so these items went into my list. Since I am making fermented foods all the time, I have a lot of them to eat so I may as well use them in recipes. Please understand, if you have not

Pickled Red Onions

jumped onto the fermented Foods Bandwagon, it is no big deal. Another relish of choice would also work, as well as chopped up Pickled Red Onions, which are much quicker to make. If neither of these is available, they can be left out completely. 

A few of the ingredients in the Wild Rice and Corn Salad went into this new Barley Salad, though with small variations the flavors went in a completely different direction. I eliminated the corn completely, kept the Feta cheese, scallions and cilantro. I substituted the pine nuts with pumpkin seeds and added in some dried cranberries (craisins). The dressing started out basically the same, using olive oil and lime or lemon juice. I also used the Sichuan peppercorns, just because I have them. These can easily be left out. 

One other ingredient that occurred to me at the last moment was probably one that just absolutely "made" this dish: Kalamata Olive Tapenade. I posted this recipe in April of this year, but will post it here again, because if you like olives, you really must try this out. It is so good, and so very easy to make. And, what an amazing thing to add to this vinaigrette-type dressing!

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

7 - 8 ounces pitted Calamata/Kalamata olives, drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely minced
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
¼ cup olive oil (more, or less, as desired)

Place the olives, parsley and garlic in a food processor to finely chop. With processor running, add in olive oil until the mixture is at the consistency you prefer. 


Here is the recipe I made last evening for Barley Salad with Fermented Red Onion:

Barley Salad with Fermented Red Onion

Serves 8 or more

Barley Salad with Fermented Red Onion

1 cup pearl barley (long-cooking kind)
3 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
½ green bell pepper (about ¾ cup), chopped
½ red bell pepper (about ¾ cup), chopped
½ cup Fermented Red Onion Relish
½ cup crumbled Feta cheese
½ cup cilantro, chopped (or as desired)
¼ cup Fermented Jalapeno Peppers, minced
¼ cup dried cranberries (craisins)
¼ cup green pumpkin seeds
¼ cup finely chopped fresh ginger root
4 scallions, chopped
½ teaspoon more salt, if needed


DRESSING:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon Sichuan Peppercorns, crushed, optional
1 tablespoon Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Set the barley to cook in a saucepan with the water and the teaspoon of salt. Lower heat and cover. Cook for about 50 to 55 minutes or until the barley is cooked to your taste.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.


In a large mixing bowl, combine the bell peppers, Red Onion Relish, Feta cheese, cilantro, Jalapeno peppers, craisins, pumpkin seeds, ginger and scallions. Once the barley is cooked through, drain any excess water and allow the barley to cool slightly. Once cooled, combine the barley with the ingredients in the bowl and toss. Pour in the Dressing and toss well to coat. Taste for salt, adding more only if needed. The salad is best served at room temperature.



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fermented Red Onions and Fermented Jalapenos

More fermented foods! I have been trying a few new things here and there with fermenting. Some are great successes and other not so much. It all boils down to personal taste, as with most anything else. 

Fermented Red Onions & Jalapenos

I tried making a fermented version of Ajvar, a mixture of red bell peppers and eggplant with onion and garlic. That was a definite "no" for me. For a fermented food, it had very little flavor and nothing about it made me want to eat more. I even tried it on my eggs, but nope. That one was a dud. Another I had high hopes for was Fermented Salsa Verde. I made it with basically the same ingredients as my cooked version of Salsa Verde (which is just stupendous if I do say so myself), even first charring the onions and garlic to add in some flavors. The resultant fermented version of this salsa was extremely tart with little to recommend it. I will likely slog through it, since I made it, but it is not a highlight. I read other comments on fermented salsas with a base of tomatillos with similar commentary. Too tart to enjoy. 

One that I tried and like just fine is Fermented Red Onion. Anyone who has used red onions will know that adding in vinegar will make them turn bright hot pink, just as it will do with red cabbage. Unfortunately with fermenting foods, adding in more than the tiniest splash of vinegar will inhibit the fermentation process. I found a recipe online at www.killerpickles.com/hot-pink-onions/ and it sounded like it might be good, so I only made the tiniest of variations, but this woman's recipe called for topping the mixture with a slice of red beet, which will give great color to the onions while they ferment, without the use of vinegar. Genius!

I chose not to chop the onions very fine, as did the person at "killerpickles". I halved the recipe, as I was not sure how they would taste and didn't want to have huge jars of something I would not eat. Ultimately, it is a wonderful tasting condiment, and would be great on hot dogs or brats, or as in the case of a couple of salads I made recently, they add great piquancy.

Fermented Red Onions

Fermented Red Onions

Makes about 1 quart

1 pound red onion
1½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 - 2 slices red beet

This is best made in a Fido type jar, with the latching mechanism. I did not use an air lock device, but left the ferment, submerged and weighted, just under the latched jar and it went well.

Prepare the onions as desired. I sliced them thinly and then did a rough chop. Place them into a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Toss well and let the mixture set on the counter for 10 to 15 minutes. The onions will begin releasing liquid. Mix in the peppercorns and pack the mixture into a jar at least 1.2 to 1.5 quart. This mixture releases a lot of liquids. Stick the bay leaf down into the mixture as you add it to the jar. Press down the onions tightly using hands or some other tamping tool. Set the beet slice or slices on top (I used a wide jar, so I used 2 slices of small beet) and then weight the mixture with glass weights, another jar that will fit inside or very clean stones (not limestone, as they will dissolve). Clamp the lid on the jar and set the jar in a dark place, or cover it with a towel to keep out of light. Keep in a cool area (not cold!) and allow to ferment for about 6 weeks or until all signs of bubbling have ceased. 

The mixture should release enough liquid to submerge the onions, beet and weights within 24 hours. If it does not, mix a small amount of brine, using ½ teaspoon of sea salt in ½ cup water and add this brine to the jar until everything is submerged by at least ½ inch.

Once the bubbling ceases, remove the weights and the beet slices and refrigerate. This will keep for a long while in the refrigerator. 

Fermented Red Onions & Jalapenos

When I made fermented Jalapeno peppers, I chose to slice them across into rings and push out most of the seeds. I was not being picky to get all the seeds, but I wanted to be able to eat them. I added in some carrot slices also, as I had always added carrot to my pickled Jalapenos in the past. In the case of fermenting, carrot slices help foods retain some crispness.

To make the Jalapenos:

Slice about enough peppers to make about 4 cups, packed. Press these into a 1.2 to 1.5 quart jar, adding in some carrot slices along the way. Press the peppers down well and top with a cabbage leaf or a butterflied pepper or two to help them stay submerged once topped with brine. Set a weight on top to keep everything down and pour on a brine made with: 2 - 3 tablespoons of sea salt with 1 quart of filtered water, stirring until the salt is dissolved. The brine is poured over the peppers to cover everything by about 1 inch at least. Cover the jar, preferably a clamp type jar such as a Fido. If an airlock is desired this is a great addition, to keep air out of the mixture. Air is the enemy to a proper ferment.

Ferment the jalapenos for up to 3 weeks in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate them whenever they look and taste as you prefer. They will keep for a long while in the fridge. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

New Ideas for Side Dishes

I have two "salads" to talk about today. One is Guacamole: everyone already knows guacamole. And the other is a new mixture. I saw somewhere online a picture of white beans and artichokes, and thought, "Ooh! I have those in my pantry!

For the Guacamole, I have always made mine simply, as I learned in Guatemala. Smash the avocado a bit, sprinkle with some salt and lime juice. Taste. Adjust those two seasonings. And voila! Sometimes I take the time to chop scallions to go in it, and sometimes I have added Gorgonzola crumbles, somewhat a la Nigela Lawson's "Roquamole". Love that addition, BTW! It is stellar.

Guacamole with Fermented Hot Pepper Relish

This time though, as I have been making fermented foods, about 13 days ago I had started fermenting a Hot Pepper Salsa. In The Art of Fermentation, Sandor Katz advises that although the fermentation process at room temperature should not be exceedingly long, the salsa should be kept in the fridge for 3 or even 6 months before using, as the flavors will continue to develop, getting better and better with time. Provided, of course, that one can keep themselves out of the jars, because it smells heavenly! When I made the pepper salsa, I used a large variety of peppers, some hot, some not. The amount came out to be just a bit more than I was comfortable putting in the one large jar I had available, so I put a little bit of it into two little jars. One of these I gave a friend as a gift, and the other I kept, to be my sampler and taste tester.

Fermented Hot Pepper Salsa

Let me say, this sampler is not going to last. I am finding it difficult to stay out of it, now that I tasted the results! It is hot, but just a nice amount of hot. No mouth-searing, but just a gentle burn. Yesterday morning I had an omelet and spooned out some of the salsa on top of the omelet. Bliss! Heaven. O-M-G, good! And after tasting it, I thought it would be good mixed into guacamole. 

I know most of the world seems to have taken to mixing chopped tomatoes into guacamole, but I just do not like that combo. I love guacamole. I love tomatoes. Just not stirred together. This Fermented Hot Pepper Salsa, on the other hand, sounded good. The result last night makes me think I don't know how I am going to ever again eat guacamole without this addition! If you try my Fermented Hot Pepper Salsa, I guarantee you will want more! The little jar is almost empty after two meals! This is so good I could just eat it spooned straight out of the jar. Yes, it was a royal pain to hand chop all those peppers. No, I did not have to hand chop, but wanted that even-sized texture. Maybe I will have to try using the food processor next time. And oh yes, there will be a next time!
 

Fermented Pepper Guacamole & White Bean & Artichoke Salads

The other dish I made last evening was the White Bean and Artichoke side dish or Salad. I am not sure which to call it by. Being a cold dish suggests it more likely to be termed a "salad", though there is nothing much of fresh veggies in it. I did use celery for a little crunch, but without overwhelming the flavors of the beans and artichokes. The result was really wonderful. It ended up that these two dishes were my dinner last evening. I made a quick "slap a piece of cheese between two corn tortillas and heat it" type quesadilla to go with the meal and I was one happy gal!

White Bean and Artichoke Salad 

White Bean & Artichoke Salad

Serves 4 - 6

1 (15.8-ounce) can white beans, drained, well-rinsed
1 (14.5-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 tablespoon fresh basil,sliced in chiffonade

VINAIGRETTE:
2 tablespoons lime juice, fresh squeezed
3 tablespoons olive oil
a few grinds of pepper
1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard

Slice the drained artichoke pieces into reasonable sized pieces. Combine them with the beans, celery and basil in a bowl. 

Separately, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients (or alternatively combine the ingredients in a small jar with tight fitting lid and shake) until emulsified and pour over the bean mixture and toss well. Allow the mixture to set for a few minutes to meld flavors and serve. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Fermented Beverages are Added to the Growing List

Lately I am all about fermenting, and finding out more and more, daily. It appears there is almost nothing that cannot be fermented, adding amazing probiotics to the system. A couple of weeks ago, when cutting up a pineapple to use in a fruit salad, I kept aside all the outer peels and the core of the pineapple (without the green top). I saved them in the fridge for a couple of days, until I had time, and then placed these leavings into a large jar. I added in a cinnamon stick and then dissolved ½ cup of honey into about 6½ cups of water and poured this over the pineapple leavings. I screwed the cap on, loosely, and set the jar in a dark corner of the kitchen.

When fermenting something sweet like this, it is highly important to stir the mixture very often, (I stirred about 4 times a day), in order to keep any molds from forming (as the fruit floats and is exposed to air). The liquid is very sweet, and the fruit is sweet, so the ferment can go on to creating wine, if left unchecked, but for an amazing lightly effervescent beverage, it is ready in about 2 to 5 days, depending on how warm it is in the house.

Since I cannot get my husband to eat either my wonderful fermented sauerkraut or the fermented piccalilli I am loving so much, I figured one sure way to get some probiotics into his diet is with a beverage. When stirring the mixture daily, check it from the time it starts to exhibit myriad tiny bubbles at the edges of the jar. The ferment has begin at this time, and where to stop it will depend on your taste buds. I waited until I could actually feel that tiny bit of effervescence going on - not much, as I didn't want it alcoholic - but just enough to make it interesting. This happened at about 5 days in my kitchen. I strained off the liquid and put it into a container with a pour spout and gave it to my picky man. He loved it! 

For my next magic trick, I decided to use strawberry tops. If you are one of those who still uses a strawberry huller to pull out just the green calyx and core of the strawberry, then this will not suffice. However, if you, like me, just cut right across the top of the berry, to save time, then keep those strawberry tops with that little bit of fruit still attached! My second fermented beverage for my husband was a Strawberry Ginger Spritzer. Pretty much any fruits and peelings can be used this same way, changing out spices or other flavors as desired.

Strawberry Ginger Spritzer

Strawberry Ginger Spritzer

Makes 7 cups
Takes about 2 to 5 days, depending on temperatures

1 pound strawberries: tops cut off (use the berries for something else)
4 or 5 strawberries, sliced
5 slices fresh ginger, with skin on
pinch salt
6½ cups filtered water
½ cup sugar or raw honey

Place the strawberry tops, sliced berries and ginger slices into a large glass jar, capable of holding at least 7 - 8 cups liquid. Stir together the water and honey or sugar until dissolved, and pour this over the fruit in the jar. Cover loosely with a lid (gases will build as the mixture ferments), or cover with a cloth, towel or cheesecloth, held on with a rubber band to discourage flies, fruit flies or other insects. Allow this mixture to ferment, stirring well 3 or 4 times a day with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula. 

Keep an eye out for tiny bubbles forming around the top of the liquid. Using a clean spoon, taste once this fermentation begins. If it is not at all fizzy, wait another day or two or until it begins to have a tiny bit of fizz happening on the tongue. Once it is fermented to taste, strain the liquid into a glass or plastic jar and refrigerate. Keep in mind that the fermenting may still continue in the fridge. Keep the lid loose.

Then, as I was reading about Beet Kvass everywhere lately, and I just happened to have 2½ beets in the fridge (having used 2 slices in the making of the Fermented Pink Onions a few days prior), I thought I had best find out what all the to-do was about. Beet Kvass is an Eastern European beverage, obviously made with beets, very popular in Russia and the Ukraine, among other places. It is fermented to taste and then the beverage is either drunk as is, for its tonic qualities (a VERY long list!), or added to soups or stews. The beets, once fermented, may be used for a secondary ferment. After that, they are either discarded, composted, or added to soups or stews. Waste not...

I love beets, when they are cooked. Raw, I have found, I am not fond of them at all, plus they make my throat feel raw and scratchy. So, I avoid raw beets! So with this Beet Kvass, I was very, very leery of how the taste might be, as the beets are not cooked, but only fermented. I needn't have worried. I guess I should know better by now that once a food is fermented the flavor profile is so different it is hard to believe. This tonic has salt added, making it a brined beverage. After tasting it at 3 days, I find I am eager to leave it fermenting for longer, to see where it goes. It can become very sour. When to stop is up to individual taste. It can be fermented for up to a month, if the flavor is acceptable. Sally Fallon, in Nourishing Traditions, says:

“This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.”

The recipe for Beet Kvass is just about identical wherever you find it, with the main difference falling in the amount of time to ferment. Some people say two days. Sandor Katz talks of up to a month. As I say, taste and see where you prefer the flavor.

The other main controversial topic is to use whey or not to use whey. Whey (obtained from placing plain, unflavored yogurt into a coffee filter lined sieve and drained until reaching the amount needed, usually 1/4 cup) is used as a "starter" much as a sourdough starter gets fermentation rolling in bread. It will jump start the fermentation process and the time it takes will be less, if you are in a hurry. The flip side is that slower fermentation allows the formation of many more strains of lacto-ferments to form, making a more potent and healthful tonic. I chose not to use whey in this ferment. When eliminating the whey, more salt is needed. Salt is used to keep bad bacteria at bay until the ferment begins. Once fermentation begins, then any unwanted bacteria will be killed off in the fermentation process. I basically used the recipe from Wellness Mama, http://wellnessmama.com/9087/beet-kvass-recipe/, but here it is, without whey and with more salt.

Beet Kvass

Beet Kvass

Serving size 3 - 4 ounces, twice daily
Makes about 2 quarts

2 - 4 beets, scrubbed well, cut in ½-inch cubes
4½ teaspoons coarse sea salt or Himalayan Pink Salt
7 cups filtered water

In a jar large enough to hold at least 2 quarts, place the beets and salt. Cover these with the filtered water and stir to dissolve the salt. Cover the jar loosely with a lid, or top with a cloth held in place with a rubber band. Keep out of direct sunlight. Stir daily 1 - 2 times. The beets will float, and molds might form if not moved enough.

Once the flavor is to taste, strain off the liquid, leaving at least ¼ cup of the already fermented liquid in the container. Add salt and water again for a second batch and stir well. The fermented liquid acts as a starter, already having the strains of good bacteria in it to help things along. Refrigerate the finished Kvass.  

Some additions, if desired: carrots, fresh ginger. 



My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

New Ferments

I am thoroughly hooked on fermenting! I mentioned that since so far the only ferments I had made and completed were sauerkraut and piccalilli, I had been looking for more things to make and try, adding in more variation to my diet. The sauerkraut is stupendous, and the piccalilli is a tie for great flavor, but even alternating them each day, I get a little bored. So, I am trying out new things, since variety is the spice of life.

I first tried some onion relish. I found the recipe online at "Killer Pickles": http://www.killerpickles.com/hot-pink-onions/ and followed the recipe just about exactly, except I cut the recipe in half. Having no idea what this onion relish will taste like, I preferred a smaller amount to start with. Easy enough to put together, for sure.

The recipe uses red onion for the relish and they call the recipe "Hot Pink Onions." Anyone who has used red onion in a food will know that once cooked or in any way soaked or heated, red onions will turn a fairly ugly purple-grey color. Adding in vinegar will perk up that color in no time, giving you some gorgeous pink color. The thing is, in fermenting, vinegar is not used. 

1-day into Pink Onion Relish and Salsa Verde fermenting

To get around this, they used a slice of beet, both for color and also as a disc for pressing down the mixture to submerge. The onions do all the work of releasing juices. I had no trouble at all with them being completely covered with liquid the morning after putting this together. I have become a great fan of using a cabbage leaf to completely cover the tops of the food, so it can be weighted more easily. After placing my slice of beet over the onions, I covered that with a cabbage leaf, and then added some rocks (well washed, bleached, washed, soaked and then boiled!) as the weight to keep things under liquid. 

After this, I went and forged ahead with some Salsa Verde, or Green Sauce. My Salsa Verde is a Guatemalan style recipe, and I have been making it for some time. I absolutely love the flavors. But that is a cooked recipe. This time I wanted to try with basically the same ingredients, but ferment them instead. I have air conditioning running in the house, though I only set it to about 76 degrees, so the kitchen is warm. In order to slow the fermentation process, thereby hopefully giving the ferments enough time to develop plenty of pro-biotics, and also more flavors, I moved these down to the basement, where is is most definitely cooler, though I do not have a thermometer down there (yet!). The amount given for the vegetable ingredients is 'as is' (as they come from store or market), and afterwards in brackets is the weight after peeling/coring/de-seeding or any other prep work to be done. The weight of the actual prepped veggies is needed to determine the amount of salt to use. The salt weight should be 2% of the final weight of the vegetables.

Much, much later:

I deleted this recipe, as it was not nearly good enough to replicate. I found that most of the greens and herbs did not make the best of mixes, just too sour to enjoy. 

My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.

Making Picalilli by Lacto Fermentation

My Sauerkraut with Apples, Caraway and Dill

A couple of days ago I wrote about the adventure of putting together my first-ever batch of home fermented sauerkraut. Not "pickled" as in vinegar and heat processing, but true ferment, allowing the salted cabbage to ferment on its own, on the counter. If it was cold, this process could have taken a long time; 6 months or so. As it is, with temps in the 80s and 90s here, even air conditioning will not keep the house cool enough to ferment anything for that long. It is supposed to yield a far tastier end product when fermenting in a very cool time. For now, I am happy with the results of my first experiment. 

I keep mentioning that I got the book The Art of Fermentation by Sandor Ellix

Katz. I was hooked from the beginning - from the intro or forward! I am not remotely being paid to say this. I became interested in the idea of fermenting foods, though I knew nothing about it, when perusing Amazon for something else. I got interested, searched through myriad books on the subject, read a zillion commentaries and finally settled on ordering this book as possibly the one I would like most as a start. In that, I was absolutely correct. This book was my own discovery, and one I am completely taken with at the moment. It is highly recommended - by me!

The very following day, I headed to the grocery store and came back with a cauliflower. I like cauliflower, most particularly in the Guatemalan style or with Indian Green Masala slathered on pieces and grilled. However, at this point in time, the fermenting bug had bitten, and I am well-hooked. I cast around looking for what to combine with what for tasty ideas. And somehow, totally out of the blue, the word "piccalilli" popped into my mind.
 

So what the heck is Picalilli?

I had only the very vaguest idea of what picalilli was that day. I had no real idea of what went into it, how it was made or what it might taste like. Still, to find out, I went online. Searching high and low, I came up with an idea that in the broadest sense, the British may have come up with this as something mimicking Indian "pickle". I won't even bother going into what an Indian Pickle might be in this blog, but suffice to say that in just about every recipe I found for piccalilli, cauliflower was prominent. After that, the additions seem to be completely at whim. Some of the vegetables I saw added into piccalilli are broccoli, carrots, green beans, onions, garlic, cucumbers, cabbage, bell peppers and the list probably continues, but you get the idea. 

My Fermented Piccalilli

Flavorings for piccalilli are almost always mustard powder and/or mustard seeds and turmeric. After that, again, additions can be diverse. Traditionally, piccalilli is cooked, and has flour added to thicken it into something like a corn relish or other thickened relishes. Some piccalilli is made very finely chopped in order to spread onto sandwiches, while others are made in larger chunks to eat alongside something. Either way, it is a condiment.

My idea to make piccalilli raw and fermented was just a whim, one of those light-bulb moments. I decided to try it out. Some things I wanted to do:

1. chop the vegetables finely
2. add in coriander seeds
3. add a tiny amount of honey (honey will kill off the newly forming bacteria if used in any quantity)
4. add in some fresh ginger
5. add some fresh jalapeno

Since it would not be a cooked and thickened condiment, I figured I would try chopping very small so it could still be added onto a sandwich (maybe with some mayo to kind of hold it in place). I like the flavor of coriander seed, and it is common in Indian dishes, so I wanted that flavor. I love fresh ginger, so while that may not be common, I felt it would add something. The jalapeno was a whim, since I had exactly one in the fridge that needed using. Honey - I didn't want the mixture sweet. I have been having difficulties with my blood sugar numbers so I am avoiding sugars lately. My last dessert post (something featuring using sugar) was on May 31st, with a Rustic Rhubarb and Apricot Tart. I still crave sugar, but am avoiding for now. Considering the amount of vegetables I chopped for my piccalilli, I used about 1 tablespoon of honey. This was partly as a sort of starter, though I did want just that tiny touch of sweet.

Picalilli and sliced tomatoes for lunch

After putting the whole batch of vegetables into a large jar and covered it with brine, I sat back and wondered if I would even like this - and if not, I was going to have a whole lot of something I didn't care for that I would have to eat. The fact that it contains both cauliflower and broccoli makes it absolutely and totally taboo for my husband. He is very firm in avoiding anything he thinks he won't like. As for me, I love cauliflower and broccoli and pretty much any and all cruciferous vegetables. The broccoli and cauliflower though need to be cooked, howsoever little! My digestion seems not to tolerate them raw. So once again here, I was really going on a limb in making this mixture. 

As it comes out, when I tasted it for the first time a few days ago, I was completely enchanted with the flavor combination. It did not taste of raw broccoli or cauliflower. I couldn't exactly say what it did taste like - again, as I have absolutely nothing to compare with, having never tasted fermented vegetables such as this, and never having tried piccalilli! It turns out my experiment was a total success. The one jalapeno, with seeds left in, was enough to give the whole batch just a little bit of heat, completely tolerable and totally enjoyable. More could be added, of course. For me this is perfect, though I could tolerate more heat. Here is what I did:

Lacto-Fermented Piccalilli

All vegetables, well pounded

Makes about 1¾ quarts

1/2 cauliflower, cut in very small bits
1 head of broccoli, cut in very small bits
2 carrots, crated
1 onion, chopped small
1 fresh apple, chopped or grated
1 handful of green beans, cut small
1 chunk fresh ginger, minced
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced, seeds left in
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds

BRINE:
1 quart filtered water
2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup whey (drained from yogurt)

2 types of meat pounders

Make the Brine: Combine the filtered water and salt with the honey and whey. The whey is not 100% necessary, but as it is a living culture, does help with jump-starting the fermentation. Stir until all the honey and salt are dissolved. You will likely not need all of this brine, but better to have enough.

Assemble all the chopped vegetables in a large bowl. Add in the turmeric, mustard seeds and coriander seeds. Squeeze the vegetable mixture repeatedly with hands or use a meat pounder or wooden mallet of some kind (piece of wood, round-ended rolling pin, etc). You should end up with about 2/3 to 1/2 the original volume of the vegetable mixture, once well pounded. This breaks down cell walls in the vegetables and allows the salty brine to penetrate more easily. 

Pack the vegetable mixture tightly into a large glass jar or a crock that will accommodate the vegetables, plus about 1 inch of brine to cover, plus a weight of some king to keep the vegetables submerged. Optimally, a container that will hold at least 3 quarts, so as to accommodate all this, plus a rise in liquid level as the vegetables release their own liquid, and then fermentation, that could cause bubbling up, and/or over the container, causing spillage. 

Pour the brine over the vegetables to cover by at least 1/2 inch or so. If you have a cabbage handy, use 1 or two outer leaves to cover the top of the vegetables, then set a weight on top. This can be a plate, with something heavy set on top to keep the vegetables down, or it could be glass weights (Crock rocks) found where lacto-fermentation equipment is sold, such as from Amazon. In smaller jars, I used the small glass stones often used for flower arranging (well washed), and tied them into a piece of clean hosiery as a weight. All equipment should be scrupulously clean, but not necessarily sterile.

How warm it is in the place where your piccalilli will ferment, will determine how long it will take to ferment. If it is quite cool, as in a basement at 55 to 60 degrees, it could be many weeks (or months) before fermentation becomes active. If it is quite warm, such as my kitchen at high 70 degrees, it will take only days. I left my piccalilli to ferment for about 12 days. I love the flavor at this point. During winter, I will try this in the basement and allow a much slower ferment to take place. Once it tastes good to you, it is ready. 


My passion is teaching people how to create a harmony of flavors with their cooking, and passing along my love and joy of food, both simple or exotic, plain or fancy. I continue my journey in ethnic and domestic cuisines, continuing my journey to explore diverse culinary experiences and hopefully to start you on a journey of your own. Join me also at A Harmony of Flavors on Facebook, and Pinterest.