Fermented Vegetables: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 64 Vegetables & Herbs in Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes

377 Pages·2014·71.99 MB·English

by  Kirsten K. Shockey, Christopher Shockey

FERMENTED VEGETABLES

CREATIVE RECIPES FOR FERMENTING

64 VEGETABLES & HERBS IN

Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles,
Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes

KIRSTEN K. SHOCKEY &

CHRISTOPHER SHOCKEY

Photography by Erin Kunkel

ß Storey Publishing

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Edited by Margaret Sutherland and Molly Jackel
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Photography by © Erin Kunkel, except pages 358 and 359 by the author
Illustrations by © Daniel Everett
Hand lettering by Alethea Morrison

© 2014 by Kirsten K. Shockey and Christopher Shockey

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Shockey, Kirsten, author.
Fermented vegetables / by Kirsten and Christopher
Shockey.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-61212-425-4 (pbk. : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-1-61212-426-1 (ebook) 1. Fermented
foods. 2. Vegetables—Preservation. 3. Canning and
preserving. I. Shockey, Christopher, author. II. Title.
TX612.V4S47 2014
664'.024—dc23
2014020893

Be sure to read all of the instructions thoroughly
before undertaking any of the techniques
or recipes in this book and follow all of the
recommended safety guidelines.

“Here, try this,” we’d say as we thrust some new creation at our
sometimes-skeptical children on the other side of the fork.
It became habit for them, just something they did in our house
with two fermentistas on the loose. Now and then they’d
ask, hopefully, if we were ready to move on to become bakers or
chocolatiers. Still, they always opened up and gave us their
honest assessment and support.

Thank you, Jakob, Kelton, Dmitri, and Ariana.

LOVE, MOM & POP

Why We Ferment, 11

PART 1
Dipping into the Brine

FERMENTATION FUNDAMENTALS

— 14 —

CHAPTER 1
Back to the Future: Vegetable Fermentation as Preservation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

CHAPTER 2 The Inner Life of Pickling: The Science behind Vegetable
Fermentation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

CHAPTER 3 Crocks and Rocks: The Tools of the Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

PART 2
Mastering the Basics

KRAUT, CONDIMENTS, PICKLES, AND KIMCHI

— 48 —

CHAPTER 4 Mastering Sauerkraut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

CHAPTER 5 Mastering Condiments: Variations on Kraut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

CHAPTER 6 Mastering Brine Pickling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

CHAPTER 7 Mastering Kimchi Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

CHAPTER 8 Practical Matters: Storage and Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

PART 3
In the Crock

FERMENTING VEGETABLES A TO Z

— 102 —

Garden Vegetables and Herbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .109

Arugula, 109

Asparagus, 110

Basil, 113

Beans, Green, 116

Beets, 119

Broccoli, 127

Brussels Sprouts, 127

Burdock (Gobo), 129

Cabbage, Green and Savoy, 131

Cabbage, Napa or Chinese, 140

Cabbage, Red, 147

Carrots, 148

Cauliflower, 151

Celeriac, 156

Celery, 158

Chard, 160

Cilantro (Coriander), 160

Collard Greens, 163

Corn, 165

Cucumbers, 166

Eggplant, 174

Escarole, 176

Fennel, 178

Garlic, 180

Garlic Scapes, 183

Grape Leaves, 184

Horseradish, 185

Jicama, 187

Kohlrabi, 189

Leeks, 191

Mushrooms, 193

Mustard Greens, 195

Okahijiki Greens (Saltwort), 197

Okra, 199

Onions, 201

Pak Choi (Bok Choy), 205

Parsley, 206

Parsnips, 208

Peas, 210

Peppers, 212

Radicchio, 218

Radishes, 219

Rapini (Broccoli Rabe), 222

Rhubarb, 223

Rutabaga, 225

Scallions (Green Onions), 226

Shiso, 228

Spinach, 233

Sunchokes, 236

Sweet Potatoes, 237

Tomatillos, 240

Tomatoes, 241

Turmeric, 243

Turnips, 245

Winter Squash, 248

Zucchini and Other Summer
Squash, 252

Foraged Vegetables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .258

Dandelion Flowers, Leaves, and Roots, 259

Lamb’s-Quarters, 261

Nettles, 263

Ramps, 264

Watercress, 265

Fruits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .267

Apples, 267

Citrus Fruits, 270

Cranberries, 273

PART 4
On the Plate

— 276 —

CHAPTER 9 Breakfast: Culture for the Gutsy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .281

CHAPTER 10 Snacks: A Pickle a Day Keeps the Doctor Away . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291

CHAPTER 11 Lunch: Ferments on the Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .301

CHAPTER 12 Happy Hour: Crocktails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .323

CHAPTER 13 Dinner: Brine and Dine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .329

CHAPTER 14 Dessert: Really? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349

Appendix: Scum — The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, 356

Resources, 360

Bibliography, 363

Acknowledgments, 367

Index, 368

Why We Ferment

Every artist was first an amateur.

— RALPH WALDO EMERSON

T
here’s more to fermented vegetables than probiotics, nutrient density, and food pres-
ervation. These three attributes are piquing people’s interest, but to be honest, that’s not
enough. Just because you know something is good for you doesn’t mean you’re going to eat it.
You have to want to eat fermented vegetables, to crave them, and the reason you will is flavor.
You’ll eat fermented vegetables because you want to, not because you should. Availability and
ease of preparation are important, but incorporating fermented foods into your diet is, we
believe, all about taste.
By fermenting, you’ll unlock new, unimagined, complex, deep flavors. You’ll experience
the unique flavor that comes from time and place with each delicious batch.
We also know that no matter how delicious something is, if it’s not easy to prepare at the
end of a busy day, it won’t make it to the dinner table. That’s where fermentation comes in:
You can make delicious, nutrient-dense fermented vegetables whenever you have the time.
Later, when there are no fresh veggies in the crisper drawer, or you don’t have the time to
cook up something quick, you’ll have instant side dishes, salads, or flavorful foods around
which to build a meal. Fermented vegetables are the ultimate convenience food!
We were introduced to the Nourishing Traditions cookbook and the Weston A. Price
Foundation on Christmas Eve in 1999, with an unusual gift from Kirsten’s mother. This
cookbook and the foundation marked the beginning of a growing interest in traditional foods
such as whole raw milk, real butter, and fermented foods. That evening we’d eaten weiss-
wurst and potato salad, a holiday tradition from Kirsten’s Bavarian father. We were seated
around the candlelit tree, passing around simple gifts, when Kirsten’s mother handed us
Sally Fallon’s cookbook and a heavy box. “Be careful; keep it upright,” she said, smiling. We
opened the box to a crock full of bubbling fermenting cabbage. Despite her German heritage,
Kirsten was a bit surprised. The fragrance soon overcame the pine scent of the tree, and the
children’s faces, lit by the candles, exhibited concern.
Little did we know that this was the beginning of our fermentation journey.
Five years later our homestead in southern Oregon was humming along. By then we
were making our own cheeses and yogurts from the milk of our cows and goats. Our fruit
trees produced enough apples, plums, and pears for long nights of canning preserves for our
four children, who seemed to inhale jam. Christopher sometimes squirreled away enough

11

fruit to make fermented libations, which helped to soothe the long hours. We were not,
however, making more than simple sauerkraut.
Then Wild Fermentation, by Sandor Katz, arrived in the mail. We began to try different
vegetables, and soon our fermentation equipment had grown from that Christmas crock
to six Harsch crocks, all almost always packed with something from our kitchen garden
or the farmers’ market. This period centered on making nutritious, flavorful foods for our
growing family.
In 2009, we were searching for a way for the farm to pay for itself. Although we’d been
making cheese, bread, and cider for years, our valley was blessed with many other produc-
ers of those foodstuffs. We decided to produce interesting ferments, ones that highlighted
locally grown foods and would inspire people to eat fermented vegetables daily. The beauty
of the fermentation process lies in its ancient simplicity — we were able to start with very
little capital compared to most small businesses.
Two years later we had a USDA-certified kitchen with two fermenting rooms built
into the hillside along with five sinks, an 80-quart stainless steel bowl on wheels, a dozen
10-gallon ceramic crocks, a bunch of knives, and two large, noisy commercial refrigerators.
We quickly built a loyal customer base through farmers’ markets, demonstrations, classes,
and selling our product in some local grocery stores, restaurants, and regional charcuteries.
By all measures we were successful, a small but growing solar-powered farmstead busi-
ness, sourcing local organic vegetables and producing food people loved.
That first year we developed close relationships with local farmers and experimented
with making seasonal combinations. The phone would ring: “We have an abundance of garlic
scapes. Can you do anything with them?” Usually the answer was, “Hmm, we can try.” By
the end of the season we’d produced 52 varieties of fermented vegetables that surprised and
delighted our customers. Each week at the farmers’ market, people were eager to discover
what new flavor had emerged from the fermentation cave. It was so much fun . . .
Food processing became an important word combination to us. To move to the next
level of success, we needed to standardize the food part and optimize the processing part.
The second fall, when the farmers’ market ended and we began to focus on our com-
mercial accounts, reality hit us: Grocery stores and restaurants wanted just a few consistent,
inexpensive products. We started working through our production processes, looking for
ways we could cut labor costs through automation. The rotary slicer that Christopher had
mastered would need to be replaced with a monster food processor, capable of swallowing
many whole cabbages per minute. We still needed a walk-in cooler to maximize preservation
of the harvest.
The issues of scale, efficiency, and profitability pose quandaries for every small busi-
ness. We thought there was something critical missing in this projected future — the artist.
Our passion lies in the artistry, the attention to each individual flavor, the experimentation,

12 WHY WE FERMENT

and the discovery of tastes and colors that arise from concoctions that are put in the crock
by either necessity or serendipity. One day we looked at each other and realized we couldn’t
continue down this commercial road.
We had, by this time, learned a lot about fermenting, and also a lot about what people
look for in this artisan category of food. We decided to write a book to help you answer the
three big questions we heard in our classes, at demo tables, and at our farmers’ market stand:
What are the secrets to making a great batch?
Which veggies play well together in the crock, and which just shouldn’t be fermented?
Because probiotic foods are so good for us, how can we enjoy them with every meal?
Fermenting vegetables is simple once you know the tricks. We believe that all of us
should be making our own krauts and pickles and condiments.

About the Book

In part 1, Dipping into the Brine: Fermentation Fundamentals, you’ll learn the scientific
nuts and bolts of fermentation. You’ll read about what’s happening under the brine and
why this salty liquid is essential. There is a discussion on salt, which is really the only
ingredient you’ll need other than vegetables. We’ll share some thoughts on fermentation
as preservation and introduce you to the tools of the trade.
Part 2, Mastering the Basics: Kraut, Condiments, Pickles, and Kimchi, is a thorough
tutorial on the ins and outs of fermenting vegetables. We’ll guide you with words and pic-
tures from the traditional — mastering sauerkraut, brine pickling, and kimchi — to the
more contemporary condiments. This section also provides a troubleshooting guide, one
based on years of answering questions in our fermentation classrooms.
In part 3, In the Crock: Fermenting Vegetables A to Z, you’ll learn how a variety of
vegetables (including foraged and sea vegetables) and a few fruits perform in the crock.
Along with recipes, we’ll share suggestions and tips. This section will present a lot of ideas
to inspire your own creations and let you in on our sometimes-humbling experiences in
the kitchen and fermentation cave.
Part 4, On the Plate, gets us to the really good stuff: the eating. We had fun coming up
with these recipes, sometimes just to hear our kids say, often woefully, “You’re not going
to put a ferment in that, are you?” We aim to rock sauerkraut’s rap as a hot dog food and
introduce new flavor profiles that will delight you and your family.
Throughout the book there are stories and recipes highlighting some of the profes-
sional fermentistas who bring this artisanal food to tables throughout the country.
Whether you’re new to fermented vegetables or a lifelong devotee of the crock, this
book has something for everyone. Let’s get started.

WHY WE FERMENT 13

Dipping into the Brine
Fermentation Fundamentals