The waiting game

Fermenting vegetables helps develop probiotics, which aid in digestion

Foods such as pickled jalapeno peppers, sauerkraut and ketchup are easy to ferment at home using minimal equipment and everyday ingredients.
Foods such as pickled jalapeno peppers, sauerkraut and ketchup are easy to ferment at home using minimal equipment and everyday ingredients.

Gardens and farmers markets are about to be overflowing with fresh produce, and home cooks are dusting off the Mason jars and pulling out the giant canning pot to "put up" all of this glorious food. But wait! This year, why not do something good for your gut and jump on the probiotics bandwagon by fermenting some of your bounty?

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Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Home fermented foods can be prepared in a variety of containers including Mason jars fitted with a pour cap and air lock, hermetic canning jars and traditional stoneware crocks.

Probiotic -- one of the hottest buzzwords in nutrition and health topics -- refers to helpful bacteria and yeasts that keep your gut healthy and aid in digestion. Fermented foods provide an abundance of probiotics because the process relies on a wide range of bacteria to break down the food.

FERMENTING VS. PICKLING

According to fermentersclub.com, "All ferments are pickled, but not all pickles are fermented." Most pickling recipes use vinegar and heat to expedite the process, whereas fermentation uses live bacteria, which work gradually to break down the food and allow the flavors to develop. The website says, "Devotees describe this difference in flavor between quick-pickled and slow-fermented foods as a comparison between a $2 bottle of hooch versus a 40-year-old Bordeaux."

The process for fermenting vegetables is very simple: Prepare the food, create the brine, fill the vessel, wait, taste, and wait some more. Different microbes prefer different temperatures, so the combination of ambient temperature and fermenting time will determine the final flavor of the vegetables. The bacteria feed on the sugars in the produce and, as the sugars break down, the flavor of the vegetables will change from sweet to tangy to tart before it becomes mellow and slightly sweet again.

For example, culturesforhealth.com offers these guidelines:

• At 50 degrees, the process can take as long as 6 months and complex flavors will develop.

• At 60 to 70 degrees, the food will develop flavors while retaining texture in 2 to 6 weeks.

• At temperatures above 70 degrees, the bacteria are more active, which causes the vegetables to have softer textures and sharper flavors.

Flavor and texture are a matter of personal preference, so be sure to taste the food periodically during the fermentation process.

Basic Sauerkraut

2 pounds cabbage

2 tablespoons salt

Remove outer leaves of cabbage and save them. Slice cabbage into quarters, remove core, and save core. Shred cabbage.

In a bowl, combine shredded cabbage and salt. Massage cabbage until soft and juicy, up to 15 minutes. Cabbage will reduce significantly in volume.

Pack cabbage and juice into a quart-size jar, making certain cabbage is submerged below the brine of cabbage juice. Apply added pressure to the cabbage while packing in order to ensure there are no trapped air pockets in the jar. Leave at least 1 inch of space between lip of jar and brine. Cover the shredded cabbage with a layer or two of the reserved cabbage leaves. Then place a chunk of cabbage core on top of the cabbage leaves. Close lid of jar and make certain that the cabbage core is holding the shredded cabbage below the brine. Leave the ferment, away from direct sunlight, until the desired flavor is achieved, as few as 3 days or up to 6 months. Make certain to release any carbon dioxide buildup in the first week by quickly opening and closing the lid. When the sauerkraut is fermented to your liking, store it in a cool, dry place such as a refrigerator, basement or root cellar.

Makes about 21/2 to 3 cups.

Recipe adapted from The Everyday Fermentation Handbook by Branden Byers

Red Kimchi

1 large napa cabbage, cut into 1-inch chunks

3 carrots, julienned

1 small daikon radish, julienned

1 bunch green onions, julienned

4 tablespoons salt

1 (1- to 2-inch-long) chunk fresh ginger, peeled

3 cloves garlic

1 apple or pear

2 tablespoons Korean coarse red pepper (see note)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

Mix the cabbage, carrots, daikon radish, green onions and salt in a bowl. Using a food processor, blender, or mortar and pestle, puree the ginger, garlic, apple (or pear), red pepper and fish sauce into a paste. Mix the paste with the vegetables. Pack the vegetables and paste into 1 or more glass jars. Ensure that the vegetables remain below the brine. Leave the ferment away from direct sunlight, for 1 to 2 weeks and then transfer to the refrigerator.

Note: Korean coarse red pepper, also known as gochugaru, is available online and at Asian markets.

Recipe adapted from The Everyday Fermentation Handbook by Branden Byers

Ketchup

3 cups canned or homemade tomato paste

2 teaspoons unrefined fine sea salt

1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar

6 tablespoons robust flavored raw honey

1/4 cup basic whey (from yogurt), water kefir, or vegetable brine (such as from sauerkraut)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, making sure the salt and the honey are dissolved. Transfer to a wide-mouth 1-quart jar. Secure a piece of cheesecloth to the opening and allow to sit at room temperature for 8 hours or overnight. Remove the cheesecloth and secure an airtight lid. Refrigerate for 2 days before using. Use within 2 months.

Makes about 4 1/2 cups.

Editor's note: To make a basic whey, strain 1 to 2 cups plain whole milk yogurt through coffee filter-lined sieve set over a bowl for 1 hour to overnight. The strained liquid is the whey.

Recipe adapted from Mastering Fermentation: Recipes for Making and Cooking With Fermented Foods by Mary Karlin

Leek Rings

4 large leeks, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

3 cups water

2½ tablespoons salt

2 tablespoons thyme

Place the leeks in a quart-size jar (try to keep most of the inner rings intact).

Combine the water, salt and thyme in a separate jar or bowl and stir until the salt dissolves. Pour the salt brine over the leeks until they are submerged. Weighing down the leeks below the brine is optional but not necessary if checked regularly. Leave to ferment, away from direct sunlight, for at least 3 weeks until leeks are tender. Make certain to release any carbon dioxide buildup in the first week by quickly opening and closing the lid. When the leeks are fermented to your liking, store them in the refrigerator, basement, or root cellar.

Recipe adapted from The Everyday Fermentation Handbook by Branden Byers

Pickled Jalapenos

1 quart fresh jalapeno peppers

1/2 onion, sliced

3 to 4 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons unrefined sea salt

1 quart filtered water

Gently wash and clean the jalapenos, discarding any bruised, marred or mushy peppers. Tightly pack the peppers, onions and garlic in a glass jar or other fermenting container.

Combine the unrefined sea salt and filtered water to create brine and pour it over the vegetables, ensuring that the vegetables are below the water line. Close jar. Store at room temperature, away from direct sunlight, until the jalapenos change color from deep green to an olive green (approximately 5 to 7 days depending on the temperature of your home) and then transfer to the refrigerator.

Makes 1 quart.

Recipe adapted from nourishedkitchen.com.

Food on 07/29/2015

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