While winter roots and cabbages might seem humble, they are incredibly versatile, and pickling or fermenting them is a delicious way to enjoy them. Although fermented foods sound fancy, the practice of fermentation is both easy and affordable. It only needs a handful of basic ingredients and when done at home, can save a lot of money. Fermented foods, most importantly, are really, really tasty!
Vegetables such as leafy and hard cabbage, beetroot, radish, turnip and carrots are some of the easiest foods to ferment, as the bacteria living on the surface does the fermenting for you. All vegetables are covered in the good bacteria “lactobacillus”, and when you slice up or grate and squeeze them with salt, they release their juice, which mingles with the salt to create a brine. Once contained within this briny environment, lactobacillus multiplies and begins to break down the ingredient, digesting the natural sugars and transforming them into lactic acid, which creates the tangy flavour and a sour environment that keeps the growth of bad bacteria at bay (science bit courtesy of BBC Good Food).
🥬 Fridge Raid Sauerkraut
400g mixed hard vegetables (cabbage, carrot, squash, beetroot, kohlrabi, turnip, radish, celeriac, broccoli stems – anything you like!), all washed and grated or finely sliced
12g sea salt
Optional Extras:
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or 1/2 orange
1-3 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 small piece fresh turmeric or 1 tsp ground (for a bright yellow kraut!)
1-2 tsp caraway, cumin or coriander seeds
Combine veg, salt and spices in a bowl. Massage firmly for a few minutes until the vegetables soften and release their juices.
Pack the mixture tightly into a sterilised jar. Ensure the veg is fully submerged in the brine. If needed, top up with a splash of salted water.
Cover loosely and leave at room temperature. Taste after four days—once it’s bubbly and tangy, seal the jar and store it in the fridge for up to six months.
(From the Guardian)
