Mastering fermentation: recipes for making and cooking with fermented foods

256 Pages·2013·7.11 MB·English

by  Mary Karlin

Some of the recipes in this book include raw eggs, meat, or fish. When these foods are consumed raw, there is always
the risk that bacteria, which is killed by proper cooking, may be present. For this reason, when serving these foods
raw, always buy certified salmonella-free eggs and the freshest meat and fish available from a reliable grocer, storing
them in the refrigerator until they are served. Because of the health risks associated with the consumption of bacteria
that can be present in raw eggs, meat, and fish, these foods should not be consumed by infants, small children,
pregnant women, the elderly, or any persons who may be immunocompromised. The author and publisher expressly
disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that may result from the use or application of the recipes and
information contained in this book.
Copyright © 2013 by Mary Karlin
Photographs copyright © 2013 by Ed Anderson
All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random
House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.tenspeed.com
Ten Speed Press and the Ten Speed Press colophon are registered trademarks of Random House, Inc.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Karlin, Mary.
Mastering fermentation : recipes for making and cooking with fermented foods / Mary Karlin ; photography by Ed
Anderson.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Fermented foods. 2. Fermentation. I. Anderson, Ed, photographer. II. Title.
TP371.44.K35 2013
664′.024—dc23
2013002413
eBook ISBN: 978-1-60774-439-9
Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-60774-438-2
v3.1
C
ONTENTS
Introduction
CHAPTER 1
Fermentation Basics
CHAPTER 2
Equipment, Ingredients, and Troubleshooting
CHAPTER 3
Fermented Fruits and Vegetables
CHAPTER 4
Legumes, Nuts, Seeds, and Aromatics
CHAPTER 5
Fermented Dairy
CHAPTER 6
Fermented Grains, Breads, and Flatbreads
CHAPTER 7
Cured Meats and Fish
CHAPTER 8
Fermented Beverages
CHAPTER 9
Cooking with Fermented Foods
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Resources
Bibliography
About the Author
Measurement Conversion Charts
Index

I
NTRODUCTION
SOURDOUGH BREAD, CHEESE, YOGURT, beer, wine, sauerkraut, kimchi, sweet chile sauce,
soy sauce, pickles, and even chocolate are just a few of the fermented foods that are part
of our everyday diets. In the United States, we love a wide variety of savory and sweet
ferments that many of us probably don’t even realize are fermented.
Have you ever noticed that many cuisines serve fermented foods with their meals? In
Asian cuisine, it’s a small dish of pickled vegetables or spicy kimchi; in Indian cuisine,
a fabulous chutney or lentil dosa; in the Mediterranean, an aromatic herbal beverage
after the meal. Yes, these fermented foods and beverages are delectable players in the
overall dance of flavors, textures, and tastes of a meal, but just as important as their
flavor, ferments play a valuable role in the digestion of the meal and subsequent health
of our digestive system. Fermentation makes those foods more digestible and therefore
more nutritious. It’s a bonus that fermented foods also taste great.
In many supermarkets today, overprocessed versions have replaced many foods that
were traditionally fermented: processed cheese has taken the place of farmhouse
Cheddar, pasteurized beers that all taste alike have overtaken regional ales and lagers,
preservative-laden bread has replaced homemade loaves made with natural starters. The
abundance of these foods throughout our food system makes us believe that these
processed versions are safer and healthier for us. But they are not. Many ready-made
foods have been robbed of many of their naturally occurring beneficial microorganisms
by pasteurization and some extreme high-temperature food-safety processes such as
ultra-pasteurization. Not all bacteria are bad for us. The presence of certain bacteria is
essential to good health. It is important to our overall health that we get back to the
practice of having real fermented foods as key elements of our diets. This is not a fad
but a trend back to foods that are good for us, many of which we can make ourselves.
Once you’ve tasted real fermented foods, you’ll want to stick to them, if only because
they simply taste better.
So why do fermented foods taste so good? Fermentation promotes the growth of
desirable bacteria, molds, and yeasts in foods, either food-borne or through the
introduction of various “starters” to create an enzymatic action that transforms the food
into an elevated state of flavor and nutritive value. Acidified milk turns into creamy
cheese, hard barley kernels mellow into refreshing beer, simple cabbage turns into
sauerkraut.
While on this unpredictable fermentation path, you’ll discover numerous unexpected
gifts that the foods give you. You may start out to ferment one specific food, and in the
process of doing so, be given the bonus of one or more beneficial by-products, what I
call “many from one.” As an example, you may start out to make a fruit vinegar or
shrub and find that you have a delicious pulp by-product to turn into a marinade or use
to flavor yogurt. That vinegar can become a tasty salad dressing or even flavor a
carbonated beverage.
In Mastering Fermentation, I present a contemporary approach to fermenting
popular, useful foods any cook would want in their pantry, as well as extensive tips and
recipes for using these fermented foods. I’ll share with you the many ways you can
make delicious world-class ferments at home using safe, contemporary methods of
fermentation and how to easily incorporate them into your cooking repertoire. You can’t
rush fermentation nor can you wield total control over it, but with proper guidance and
encouragement, you can achieve a high level of success.
In addition to recipes for creating more than seventy fermented favorites are twenty-
two globally inspired contemporary recipes featuring those fermented foods in chapter
9. Once you’ve got a pantry (or refrigerator) bursting with flavorful ferments, it’s time
to put them to good use.
I invite you to join me on this adventure into the intriguing world of fermentation.
Together we’ll explore some popular categories of cultured dairy and cheese, fermented
fruits and vegetables, sourdough breads and sprouted grains, cured meats and fish,
legumes and nuts, and of course fermented beverages. Beyond the pages of this book,
you’ll find a companion website—www.masteringfermentation.com—full of additional
recipes, tips, charts, and Q & A sections designed to keep information current. It’s also
a way for us to keep in touch. Let’s get fermenting!
CHAPTER 1
FERMENTATION BASICS
FERMENTATION IS ONE OF THE oldest forms of preservation. During fermentation,
microorganisms—bacteria, yeasts, or molds—break down complex molecules into
simpler substances, transforming the chemical composition of food and enhancing its
nutritive value. Fermentation improves digestibility, deactivates antinutrient compounds
(compounds found in foods that interfere with the absorption of nutrients during
digestion) in some foods (particularly nuts and grains), and stimulates probiotic
functions, which benefit gut flora development. Carbohydrates (sugar or starch) in some
form must be present in order for fermentation to take place. Fermenting agents—
helpers enlisted to encourage safe fermentation—come in various forms: salt, whey, a
variety of brines, packaged starter cultures, wild yeast starters, and even alcohol. All
types of fermentation result in the formation of preservative acids or alcohol.
Fermented foods taste better and are better for us than processed or even pasteurized
foods because fermentation promotes the growth of desirable, beneficial bacteria,
molds, and yeasts in foods, either food-borne or through “starters.” In the fermentation
process, foods are transformed texturally, aromatically, and nutritionally. Fermentation
creates an environment where pathogens cannot grow and transforms the food,
improving its flavor and nutritional content and breaking it down into a state that is
easily digested and efficiently used by our bodies.
If fermented foods are so good for us, eating a lot of them right away might sound
like a good approach. Be warned: if new to consuming fermented foods, too much all at
once may produce digestive discomfort, because your body needs time to adapt to these
friendly beneficial occupiers. The overall goal, from my perspective, is to incorporate a
sensible amount and a variety of fermented foods into one’s daily diet of healthful
foods, not to adopt an extreme, all-fermented diet. Start with small 2- to 4-tablespoon
portions to acclimate your body. Gradually increase to amounts that make you feel good
or feel better. Over time, you’ll get to know what the right amount is for your body.
Raw ferments—those kept under 100°F—are the best source of nutrients. Sauerkraut,
kimchi, pickles, and olives are some examples. When cooked (heated over 110°F),
many of the beneficial organisms in foods are destroyed. However, as a cook, I look for
both nutritional value and food that tastes great. To me, both raw and cooked ferments
have great value. Let your palate (that includes your sense of smell) be your ultimate
guide.
Note: When you ferment a food or beverage for the first time, you may experience
unfamiliar aromas, flavors, and textures that develop during the food’s transformation.