Low-Tech Magic
Connecting to the wildness of the natural world
REMINDER: I’m excited about my one-on-one visit with fermented foods guru Sandor Katz tomorrow. And would love to know if any of you are on the train with me? Today or early tomorrow I’m still welcoming your questions, so I know I’m making the most of my time with him—then I’ll be sharing a Q & A here before you & I have a LIVE conversation on Monday, March 16 (10 am CST).
Direct your questions as soon as you can to: foodesigns@comcast.net.
It’s not too late to jump on board—here’s more info: https://lisagoldenschroeder.substack.com/p/time-to-shake-out-the-brain…
In the meantime, here’s a recipe for pickled winter veg—the real, lacto-fermented kind that allow nature to take its course, with just a little prompting from you!
LACTO-FERMENTED MIXED PICKLES
Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 quart filtered or spring water (non-chlorinated)
1 cup small cauliflorets
1 cup carrot chunks or slices
1 cup red bell pepper chunks or slices
2 cloves garlic, smashed with side of knife blade
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns or grains of paradise
3 whole cloves
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix the salt and water; stirring till the salt dissolves.
2. Place the remaining ingredients in a very clean, large jar (a half gallon wide-mouth size works well). Pour the salt water over the vegetables, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. If needed, add more water to cover the vegetables (or place a small bowl on top to keep the vegs submerged.)
3. Cover the jar tightly and let stand at room temp. About once a day, open the jar to release gases. If any mold or scum forms, skim it off.
4. When the pickles taste as tangy as you’d like, transfer the jar to the fridge for up to 1 month.
Variation: For Hot Giardiniera, add some fresh jalapeño or serrano chile slices, more garlic & a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the mix. And a few sliced green olives are always nice!
And if fermentation isn’t your bag, don’t forget to pick up a copy of Home Cooking. And immerse yourself in Laurie Colwin’s lovely world of comfort cooking. We’ll talk about it LIVE on Tuesday, March 17 (10 am CST.)
