constant state of flux

I had a great pickle-making day last week. But these pickles were lacto-fermented; vinegar was replaced with whey from raw milk. Whey is so simple to make, see here for the method.

“Lacto-fermentation is an artisanal craft that does not lend itself to industrialisation. Results are not always predictable. For this reason, when the pickling process became industrialised, many changes were made that rendered the final product more uniform and more saleable but not necessarily more nutritious. Chief among these was the use of vinegar for the brine, resulting in a product that is more acidic and not necessarily beneficial when eaten in large quantities; and of subjecting the final product to pasteurisation, thereby effectively killing all the lactic-acid-producing bacteria and robbing consumers of their beneficial effect on the digestion.”
Sally Fallon – Nourishing Traditions

I believe that making lacto-fermented vegetables and pickles is superior to buying the store-bought equivalents. For the reasons stated above, these condiments can actually enhance the digestibility of your meals if eaten regularly and really don’t take long to make at all. The secret is to make small batches every-so-often and do this continuously throughout the year with seasonal vegetables. My store gets depleted quicker during the winter, when fresh veg is not so abundant at the market, so I have been making up jars throughout the spring, summer and autumn with a range of vegetables, with a view to winter consumption. They are superb for Christmas and birthday presents too; so cheap to make and they may also kindle a spark of interest in lacto-fermentation with your friends (great for group pickling days).

During my pickling day I managed to make up the following with whey made from 1 litre (2 pints) of raw milk:
2 large jars of sauerkraut,
2 large jars of onions,
1 large jar beetroot (beets),
1 small jar of mint sauce,
1 large jar tomato ketchup.

The key is to make sure just enough liquid goes into the jars; enough to cover the top of the vegetable to be pickled. This is achieved by pounding raw vegetables until the natural juices start to flow and then by pressing down firmly until the contents of the jar are full and the juice flows up over the veg to cover it. For each large mason jar, approximately 4 tablespoons of whey is added. The vegetables are cut up finely, pounded and added along with a good tablespoon of celtic sea salt.
Good quality vegetables are a necessity, because the bacteria in the whey needs maximum nutrients to multiply and ferment. Filtered water must be used, as the presence of chlorine and fluoride in tap water kills off all bacteria in the whey and using the best Celtic Sea Salt adds valuable trace minerals to the brine. Salt also inhibits ‘bad’ bacteria from forming in the first few days, until enough lactic acid has been produced by the whey to start the fermentation process.

Needless to say, the jars must be sterilised. You can do this by cleaning them with hot water and then putting them in a hot oven (minus rubber seals) for ten minutes, turning the heat off and letting them cool down completely in situ.

Cut your raw veg into pieces: shred a large cabbage, grate 8 carrots, slice 4 large cucumbers if you cannot find gherkins. Then place each vegetable in a wooden or plastic bowl with 4 tablespoons of whey and a tablespoon of salt. Pound for about 15 minutes until a small amount of juice starts to form in the bottom of the bowl. Transfer into a sterilised jar and press down until the juice covers the top of the veg – up to one inch below the top of the jar and seal.

4 medium-sized beetroots need to be boiled in water until soft, then drained, peeled and sliced gently so as not to release too much liquid. Place in a jar and add whey and salt, then cover with filtered water until juice covers the beets. Seal.

Pearl onions need to be put in boiling water for 5 minutes and then the skins slipped off, keeping them whole. Tip them into the sterilised jars with the whey and salt. Add spices and herbs such as a cinnamon stick, mace, cloves, peppercorns, tarragon or rosemary – the choice is yours. Fill the jar with filtered water until the liquid covers the onions and seal.

Place all jars in a warm place for three or four days, depending on the size of the vegetable pieces inside (three days for cabbage and carrots, four days for larger cucumber pieces or gherkins, onions and beets). Then transfer to a cold storage space or the fridge and leave to mature for two – six months. As lacto-fermentation is somewhat unpredictable, you need to experiment with the fermenting times.

These condiments can be eaten sparingly with most foods: meat, fish and cheese. You may even use them in a traditional ploughman’s lunch.

Stayed tuned for the tomato ketchup and mint sauce recipes.

See these sources for more recipes and techniques:
Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz
Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
Fermenting the Esoteric (interesting article on symbolism of fermenting)
yahoo fermentation forum