Fermentation

Hello again! Since returning from a two week holiday down under, I’ve been working on a few posts from our Australian trip that I’m working on.

While in between stops and layovers, I came across this interesting article from Nature in my newsfeed, and it reminded me of a research paper I did in school. Have you ever heard of bog butter? In case you haven’t, bog butter is animal fat that is found usually wrapped in plant material sometimes including wild garlic, and then encased in barrels or baskets and then buried in a bog. Why a bog? Scientists believe the reason is because people in ancient times probably thought the temperature and environment would help keep and age the butter and impart flavor into the final product. Bog butter has been found throughout the U.K., especially in Ireland and Scotland.

My grandparents on my mother’s side were Irish and growing up I often saw my grandparents and my mother doing a fair amount of preserving foods. Canning was their food preservation method of choice; we had no bog in the back yard. Beets, tomatoes and green beans were canned and stored for consumption through the fall and winter months. I had no interest in the process until it was time to eat them. Years later when I tried Kimchi, I became hooked on fermented food and my life was forever changed.

While there are different ways and techniques of creating fermented food, such as through acidification by using vinegar for pickling, the more simple and direct technique of using a brine of water and salt seemed to me a good place to start learning about the process. The salt draws moisture out of the vegetables through osmosis, allowing for the creation of lactic acid. Salt also helps to slow down the fermentation process, thus slowing down the possibility of surface molds. According to Sandor Ellix Katz in his book, “The Art of Fermentation”, there are other benefits to using salt in the fermentation process. According to Katz, the salt helps to harden pectins and slows the enzymes that consume them, allowing for crispier vegetables and more flavor.

While fermentation adds flavor and texture to vegetables, there are health benefits to eating fermented foods as well. Fermented foods help to keep a balance of the beneficial bacteria needed in people’s digestive tracks, which improves the body’s ability to fight certain diseases, and aid in absorption of more nutrients from other foods.

One of my favorite recipes that I acquired is from Chef Jaime Young from the restaurant Sunday in Brooklyn. The recipe is as follows:

2 lbs. peeled broccoli stems

3 cloves garlic

4 sprigs dill

4g.  chili flakes

 2l. filtered water

50g salt

• Prepare the salt brine by combining the salt and water. Whisk until all salt has dissolved.
• Combine all of the ingredients into a clean jar. Pour brine over the broccoli making sure all ingredients are submerged completely under the brine. 
• Store the ferment in a dark place at 64-70 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Check the ferment after three days. It should be slightly bubbly and the liquid should appear cloudy. At this point place the ferment into your refrigerator and leave to age for about a week.

I love this recipe for its simplicity and versatility. As long as the salt to water ratio is approximately four percent, it can be used with many other vegetables if broccoli isn’t your thing. I’ve also had positive results when I’ve used other vegetables such as green beans, asparagus, and cauliflower stems. Best of all is that using food scraps such as broccoli and cauliflower stems help to lessen food waste, so you can feel good about doing your part to help the environment.

What are some of your favorite fermented foods?