Lactic Fermentation, Chapter 1 - Giardiniera mix

I love pickled vegetables -- deli style cucumbers, sauerkraut, beets, kimchi -- the whole spectrum.  Only this last year have I given it a try, and I am so pleased with the results so far.  I have prepared several batches of kraut (white and red), two types of pickles, and now my current project. 

This is so appealing as the fermentation process is completely natural -- you control the ingredients and once you achieve the correct environment, the microscopic critters do all the work.  Fermentation is as old as civilization; lactobacilli are everywhere around us.  They are essential in making yogurt, and convert malic acid into lactic acid, which gives some Chardonnays a buttery flavor.  The lactobacilli break down the cellulose structures in the vegetables, making them tender while the salt preserves the product inside the fermenting vessel.

The process is simplicity itself; select the freshest ingredients available, add herbs and salt or brine, and enclose in an anaerobic container which allow for the escape of gases.  I have a 5 Liter Harsch stoneware crock (available online - I got mine from Cabela's, thanks to brother Mike) which has so far been bulletproof.

It features a water channel which keeps oxygen from entering the vessel, and fitted weighing stones to hold the vegetables beneath the surface of the brine / juice while the dimples in the lid allow for the gases created by the cellular degradation to flow out.

The trade off for this EASY TO USE product is the start up cost; however, many other constructs are available.  Folks use everything from Mason jars to larger jars, on up to 5-gallon plastic buckets as well as some clever kludges with the addition of airlocks.  It is all a matter of preference, budget and ingenuity; the important elements are: an oxygen barrier, weight to hold down the product, and the ability to release pressure outward.

Traditionally, once the ferment has been achieved, the product is stored in the crock in a cellar or other cool place (below 60 degrees).  Not so in sunny Southern California, so I'm amassing a tidy little fleet of Tupperware and Ziploc bags in my fridge.  I will branch out into Mason jars soon.  Ferments keep well for a long time under refrigeration.

So give it a try!  It's nice to have some of these goodies on hand.

Trust me, after the Zombie Apocalypse, you'll need provisions.

Giardiniera mix has long been a favorite of mine; I am attempting a home-fermented recipe to see if I can beat the vinegar-based store version.  STAY TUNED as I should have some results in about two weeks...

THE RECIPE

2 heads cauliflower, rinsed and cut into florets
6 carrots, waffle cut 1/4 in. slices
1 large English cucumber waffle cut 1/4 in. slices (hahaha, my mandolin love / hate relationship continues)

6-8 ribs celery, cut lengthwise then cross-cut into 1/4 in. slices
1# pearl onions, peeled
1 can baby corn, sliced in half
1/2 cup peppers (I have no use for pimientos, as seen in the store product, so I just sliced up some roasted red and yellow bells) sliced into 1/4 in. strips
6-8 cloves garlic, grated

Place the above ingredients into separate bowls.  Now for our supporting cast: the seasonings.

1 bunch baby dill, cut through 3/4 times
8 dried bay leaves
2T mustard seed
1T whole black pepper
Sea / Kosher salt, for sprinkling and for the brine

Place the produce into the crock / vessel in layers; top with some of the seasoning and a light sprinkling of salt; repeat until vessel is filled or produce is used up.

Prepare the brine with cold water and pour over the vegetables.  Cover approximately one inch over the weights and cover.  Keep in the coolest place in your home.  Check the product after 5 days, adjust salt if needed (more on that to follow) and remove and store in refrigerator when desired texture / flavor is attained.

I am making this batch without heat, so I can share with folks at work, but if it were for my own consumption I'd be adding yellow chilies and some crushed red pepper flakes.

I am going a bit heavy on the salt and looking at a short ferment time.  This is due to the warm summer temps.  In colder months, one can cut back on the salt and ferment longer.  This brine is:

1.5 T salt to 1 cup of water

Thanks for advice and tips from Sandor Katz and the community on Wild Fermentation ( www.wildfermentation.com ) , a great resource for all things fermented.

More to follow...