Lacto-fermented Cauliflower

Pickling vegetables by means of lacto-fermentation is one of the easiest of all preserving processes. And best of all, this process keeps the pickles rich in beneficial bacteria. Because this is a brining process, which does not require water-bath canning, the pickles are crunchy, tasty, and good for your digestion.

To make these pickles you will need some wide-mouthed, one-quart sized canning jars, sea salt, and filtered or pure water. (We use our tap water, as we have a well and add no softeners or other additives.)

These annotated pictures illustrate the steps we follow:



Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.





Then pack them tightly into one quart jars.



Add one Tablespoon of salt to each jar.

  

Fill jars with water, leaving about 3/4 inch of headspace,
as the vegetables and their juices expand slightly during fermentation.

Cap the jar tightly, and shake the jar briskly, to distribute the salt throughout the jar.

Store the jars at room temperature for several days, then store jars in a dark, cool spot, ideally at about 40 degrees. (Refrigerate if you expect to store them for a while.)

During the fermentation process, the liquid may get cloudy and bubble, and the jars give off quite a sulfurous odor, so we store ours on the screened porch.

Lacto-fermented vegetables increase in flavor over time, but they may be eaten after the initial room-temperature brining. The cauliflower will have a tangy flavor, reminiscent of the flavor of beer. And, like beer, it is an "acquired taste:" a bit surprising at first, but then quite addictive.

For a complete discussion of the nutritional benefits of lacto-fermentation see the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz.



Small Batch Freezing

Although the process of freezing fresh produce is not that time consuming, it does produce a large number of pans, surfaces, and utensils to be cleaned up afterward. So what do we do when the amount of produce on hand doesn't seem to merit the commitment to making such a mess?

Today we harvested the secondary shoots of the broccoli plants we had recently harvested and frozen. There didn't seem to be enough broccoli to warrant a freezing project. But we also had some sugar snap peas ready to harvest, and then it became apparent that we could use the same water bath to blanch both vegetables.





Since broccoli leaves a strong flavor to the water it's boiled in, we decided to freeze the peas first. Sugar snaps have tough string in them, which doesn't soften during freezing or cooking, so I like to chop them into bite sized bits rather than freezing them whole.

While processing the peas, I soaked the broccoli in salted water to get rid of any caterpillars. Placing the weighted plate on the broccoli assures that it stays fully submerged in the water.

We ended up with three boxes of sugar snaps and two of broccoli. Not a large amount by our standards, but satisfying nonetheless.

Garlic Scapes

      Towards the end of June here in Southern new England, your garlic plants will send up a tall stem that curls around like a pig's tail and ends with a long slender flower bud.

       You want to remove these scapes, as they are called, so that the plant puts its energy into the bulb, not the flower. Since last year's garlic is probably used up or dried out by now, you will welcome the addition of the garlic scape to your early summer cuisine.

      I like to chop the scapes into bite size pieces and use them as I would use chopped garlic.  For instance, saute them with chopped onion as a beginning to a stir fry or soup.

      Also they can be chopped into slightly longer pieces and steamed like green beans, and eaten as a vegetable side dish themselves, or in a medley with turnips or other seasonal vegetables.

A medley of cauliflower, snugar snaps and scapes on the steamer.