Peperoncino

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My favourite ferment of the moment is peperoncino, due in no small part to an overwhelming harvest of yellow chilis from seeds I have been saving for some years now in Sweden. Their transition to Portugal was…explosive. I have harvested no less than 4 kgs of chilis from one single plant and was forced to cut it back drastically as it all but taken over our small greenhouse. I have dried a lot but also made plenty of this condiment which we use on pretty much everything. 

Here’s how you make it:

lice your fresh chilis, seeds and all, pack them into a jar or vessel, cover with a 4% salt brine. Put the lid on (use a weight if fermenting in a larger vessel). Ferment at room temperature for four days. Then strain them, discarding, or finding a use for the spicy brine. Pack the chilis into small jars, use food grade gloves if you have them to prevent chili burn, fill the jar with olive oil and close the lid. Place your jars in a pot of water and bring to the boil, boil for 5 mins then let the sit in the hot water for another 10 minute, as it cools the jar will seal.

So, it’s not probiotic, but it’s so good!

Sour cabbage with beets and horseradish

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This recipe is from the grandmother of a friend of mine from Ukraine and is made in a way which is new for me – with a bit of sugar, warm brine and no lid for the first few days. I have also tried leaving it a little longer at room temperature (lid on after three days though), until the colour of the cabbage as become a beautiful pink before popping it in the fridge. Its really delicious!

For a 3 liter jar:

3 small beetroots 2 cm horseradish (or two thin roots) 2kg white or savoy cabbage 1 head of garlic 1 liter water

Peel and coarsley chop the beetroot, garlic and horseradish. Thickly slice the cabbage and pack it into the jar, alternating it with the seasoning and beets. Warm the water a bit (if its chlorinated, bring to the boil and let it cool), dissolve the salt and sugar in the water and when it is a bit warmer than body temperature, pour it over the cabbage. Put a weight on the cabbage in the form of a stone or small plate and cover the opening with a cloth or gauze. Leave in a warm spot for three days. Then put the lid on and move it to the fridge, and enjoy!

Fermenting leafy greens: recipe by Boban from Gerlesborg

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Here is a fermentation with leafy greens, following the principle “use what you have/harvest”. This time it’s kale, parsley, celery, kohlrabi, garlic, coriander, yellow onion, dill, chili, ginger, black pepper, and salt (1.5%). All vegetables and spices are chopped to desired size and mixed with salt in a bowl. Then everything is placed in a jar and pressed together, and the jar is filled with water. Make sure none of the contents stick out above the water level, as mold can form. A lid or appropriately sized plate can be used to keep the contents submerged in the jar. Let it sit out for a few days until fermentation starts, then store the jar in a cool place. After 2 weeks, the fermentation is complete. Fermentations with leafy greens tend to not have a long shelf life, they can become slimy, so consume them within 2 months.

Sauerkraut

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Sauerkraut is one of the most well-known and consumed forms of lacto-fermented vegetables in Europe and the USA, and it has been produced in various ways worldwide for thousands of years. The basic recipe involves shredded cabbage and salt. Caraway seeds and juniper berries are popular seasonings, but you can also try using rowan berries, black pepper, and even sea buckthorn. Finely chop the cabbage by hand (big sharp knife is recommended), use a cabbage slicer or a food processor/vegetable cutter.

For a more detailed description of the lacto-fermentation process and how sauerkraut is made, check here.

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Tomato Salsa

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This tomato salsa is fresh, sweet-sour, and tastes best within 2 months. After that, it can become slightly too acidic and a bit slimy (but still edible). This is a great way to use unripe and semi-ripe tomatoes towards the end of the season. Do not use overly ripe tomatoes for this recipe, as they are sweeter and can result in a fermentation dominated by yeast, leading to excessive bubbliness. I use a starter culture here.

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Fermented rhubarb

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Here’s how to do it: Cut the rhubarb stalks into 1 cm pieces, press them into a glass jar, and cover with a brine of 2-3% salt concentration (20-30g of salt per liter of water). Put on the lid and leave at room temperature for 4 days, burping if necessary, and then refrigerate. Place a small plate or a few Sweet cicely leaves on top to keep everything submerged under the liquid surface. I have added rosé pepper and Mexican tarragon/sweet mace with good results. Use it as a starter in pesto or in any recipe where you would normally use lemon juice, such as in hummus. If you find other recipes where rhubarb fits, please let me know and I’ll share them here!

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Salt and water

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Brine is used in lacto-fermentation when you don’t want to grate or press the vegetables. Think cucumbers and green beans, mixed vegetables in large pieces (such as carrots, cauliflower, onions, and sugar snap peas), and even leaves and berries can be lacto-fermented this way. The brine should be quite salty because a lot of it will be absorbed by the vegetables, and you want to achieve a final salt concentration of 1-2% overall. I use a brine with 4% salt for most fermentations. Think of the sea – but the Atlantic rather than the Baltic. Unrefined fine sea salt from Denival (which can be purchased in a 20kg bag) works excellently. I choose this salt because it is not highly refined, has not gone through a lot of chemical processing and doesn’t contain anti-caking agents (I am not anti cake!). However, lacto-fermentation bacteria can handle most types of salt, so start with what you have at home.

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Cabbage kimchi

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Kimchi is most commonly made with whole or halved Chinese (napa) cabbage, which is sliced just before serving. Since it is more common in Sweden to sell kimchi ready to eat in jars rather than whole, it can be helpful to chop the cabbage first if you’re aiming for production.

I use a mixture of chili and paprika, dried and ground, to create something similar to gochugaru, the Korean chili powder commonly used. It is both spicy and sweet. You can use a generous amount of chili or very little chili. Fresh chili also works well.

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