Just Another Day In Paradise

Lacto-fermented kimchi

This is an adaptation of the recipe in Nourishing Traditions on page 94. Makes 1 quart (or a bit more).

Ingredients:

• 1 head Napa or savoy cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 1 cup of shredded carrots
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1-1/2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon whey

Chop/shred cabbage, carrots, green onions, ginger and garlic by hand or with a food processor. Combine all ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. Cover with a tea towel and leave to sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour while the salt helps pull the juices out of the veggies.

Pound a few times with a potato masher to make sure it is getting juicy. Leave for another 1/2 hour if desired, or proceed.

Transfer ingredients to a clean quart-size, wide mouth jar. Press down firmly so that liquid comes to the top of the mixture. Leave 1” space at the top of the jar. Put on lid and band and screw tightly.

Allow to ferment at room temperature for three to seven days. In the first 24 hours, open the jar and press down firmly on the ingredients a few times to make sure the brine is fully covering the mixture.

 

How to make your own probiotic (lacto-fermented) food

Begin with a jar of milk kefir. 

Set a stainless steel mesh strainer in a large glass bowl and line it with some cheesecloth and pour your kefir into the strainer.

Let it drip for a few hours. 

When it is has completely stopped dripping, pour the the liquid whey into a clean glass mason jar and store in the fridge. It will keep for about 6 months.

The white creamy stuff in the towel is kefir cheese. Add any herbs, spices or other ingredients or use it just as it is. It can be used in recipes as a substitute for sour cream, cottage cheese or cream cheese. It should keep in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks.

You can now use the kefir whey to ferment condiments such as salad dressing, mayonnaise, mustard and ketchup. You can also add it to salsa, bean dip, vegetable dip and even potato salad or pasta salad. Kefir whey is a wonderful way to add vitamins, enzymes, and probiotics to your diet.

Benefits of lacto-fermentation

Home canning weekend

7 quarts of spaghetti sauce

8 pints of spaghetti sauce

9 pints of salsa

How to dry fresh herbs

Harvest the herbs before they begin to flower. Cut in mid-morning before the plants begin to wilt in the afternoon sun. The lavender flowers on the Thai basil look so pretty, so I left them on there.

Remove any dry or diseased leaves.

Shake gently to remove any insects and loose dirt.

Bundle 4 – 6 branches together and tie in a bunch. 

Hang the herbs upside down in a warm, airy room. I hung our up on our chandleir in the sunroom.

Right now I'm drying Genovese basil, oregano, mint, rosemary, thyme and Thai basil. The house smells so good right now!

 

Homemade spaghetti sauce

Ingredients:

10 lbs. organic Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped

1/4 cup fresh oregano., chopped

2 large sweet onions, chopped

1/4 cup sugar

10 cloves of garlic, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbs. lemon juice in each jar

Directions:

In a large stockpot, combine the tomatoes, onions, sugar, salt and pepper, garlic, olive oil, oregano and basil. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice in each hot jar. Ladle hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/2-in. headspace. Remove air bubbles; wipe rims and adjust lids. Process for 40 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Yield: 7 quarts.

This is my own homemade recipe. Enjoy!

Grape Tomatoes Packed in Oil

Grape Tomatoes (these grape tomatoes are from our garden)

Small onions (baby or maybe pearl) or shallots

Cider vinegar or lemon juice (1-2 tablespoons per 16 oz jar)

Fresh basil, oregano etc to taste (the basil and oregano is from our garden)

Coarse salt

Olive oil

Canning jars and lids

Tomatoes must be firm and ripe. If you're using another type, select the smallest ones (no bigger than tangerine).

Wash and dry the tomatoes. Peel several of the onions or shallots.

Prepare scalded or sterilized 16 ounce jars. Fill them with tomatoes, alternating with a few onions and herbs. When the jars are filled to about one and a half inches from the rim, sprinkle with a pinch of coarse salt. Add one or two tablespoons or cider vinegar or lemon juice, and cover with olive oil.

Close the jars with a very clean lid, and store them in a rather cool place (50 to 59 degrees F) (think fridge). The tomatoes will be ready to eat in two to three months and will keep for up to a year. They go well served with grains or with meat.


From Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning 

Lacto-fermented roasted red pepper hummus

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained

1 (4 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained

juice from 1 lemon

1 1/2 tablespoons tahini

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon chopped onion

4 teaspoons whey

In a food processor, puree all the ingredients. Process, using long pulses, until the mixture is fairly smooth, and slightly fluffy. Make sure to scrape the mixture off the sides of the food processor or blender in between pulses.

Transfer mixture into two 1 pint wide mouth jars. (I used 4 half pint jars) Place plastic lid on the jar tightly. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 3 days and then transfer to cold storage.

Serve at room temperature with crusty bread or pita chips.

You can read about the benefits of lacto-fermentation here. 

Lacto-fermented redneck caviar

1 can black eyed peas, drained

1 can black beans, drained

1 can corn, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 can black olives, sliced

1 bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tsp sea salt

4 teaspoons whey

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer mixture into two 1 pint wide mouth jars. (I used 4 half pint jars) Place plastic lid on the jar tightly. Allow to ferment at room temperature for 3 days and then transfer to cold storage.

Serve at room temperature with fritos or tostito scoops.

You can read about the benefits of lacto-fermentation here.

 

Going crazy over lacto-fermented foods...

From left to right:

mustard

raspberry preserves

roasted red peppers, or jalapeno peppers

hummus

mayonnaise

salsa

buttermilk ranch dressing

applesauce

whey

You can read all about the benefits of lacto-fermented foods here.

You can also get lots of lacto-fermented recipes from this great book:

Fermented homemade garden salsa

Ingredients:

• 8 fresh Roma tomatoes
• 1/2 onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 3 jalapeno peppers, seeded
• 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
• 1/4 olive oil
• 4 Tbsp whey

Directions:

Chop all ingredients and combine in a bowl.  Add whey, olive oil and salt.  Stir well.  Put in jars leaving an inch of space at the top.  Make sure juices cover top of salsa, adding a bit of water if necessary.

Let set at room temperature for 2 days before placing in cool storage.