Anyone ferment fruit & vegetables?

[UnderOpenSky]

Finally had the courage to try my homemade sauerkraut. I'm delighted to say that the absolute stench died down, and although it does still have an aroma, it's not offensive, and it tastes fucking GREAT! Honestly! Wow, I am totally impressed with myself haha

I'll report back later on what my bum thinks of it

Good work. I've really enjoyed having ferments again this year, but foolishly have let myself run out of cabbage before starting my next batch. Still got a big jar of carrot though. Need to get more little pots to use as weights so I can do a much bigger batch next time. Think it has helped my general health but made other positive changes, so it's hard to know really.

 

[sojourner]

Good work. I've really enjoyed having ferments again this year, but foolishly have let myself run out of cabbage before starting my next batch. Still got a big jar of carrot though. Need to get more little pots to use as weights so I can do a much bigger batch next time. Think it has helped my general health but made other positive changes, so it's hard to know really.

I am so bloody chuffed. Can't believe how good it tastes! Really moreish.

I've just got another big white cabbage from Oddbox, so I'm now tempted to try making kimchi.

Yes, the little glass pot for weighting really helped, stopped the top bits going minging. Thing is, you don't really see the benefits 'out loud' as it were, just have to trust it's doing you the world of good

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I am so bloody chuffed. Can't believe how good it tastes! Really moreish.

I've just got another big white cabbage from Oddbox, so I'm now tempted to try making kimchi.

Yes, the little glass pot for weighting really helped, stopped the top bits going minging. Thing is, you don't really see the benefits 'out loud' as it were, just have to trust it's doing you the world of good

Kimchi is ace. Bit more work so didn't do this time round, but my favourite. Clearly you have to enjoy it and and hope it does you good. I like having a few on the go as its more variety to quick week night meals where I'm often reheating something I've batch cooked from the freezer and doing fresh rice.

 

[sojourner]

Kimchi is ace. Bit more work so didn't do this time round, but my favourite. Clearly you have to enjoy it and and hope it does you good. I like having a few on the go as its more variety to quick week night meals where I'm often reheating something I've batch cooked from the freezer and doing fresh rice.

I'm struggling to think of what to eat it with though tbh. The cheese bap worked well. We don't eat meat. Perhaps a veggie sausage. What do you eat it with?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'm struggling to think of what to eat it with though tbh. The cheese bap worked well. We don't eat meat. Perhaps a veggie sausage. What do you eat it with?

I eat a lot of stuff like curries, chilli and stews as they freeze well, so a big spoonful of various ferments on the side.

 

[sojourner]

I eat a lot of stuff like curries, chilli and stews as they freeze well, so a big spoonful of various ferments on the side.

Me too, but I can't see the flavours mixing that well. Maybe I should just give it a try.

 

[RubyToogood]

Yeah I have slightly given up fermenting because I kept forgetting to eat the results. If it's not going to work as a relish though you could always have it as a little starter.

 

[sojourner]

So what other veg do people ferment then? I scored 3 medium-sized Kilner jars from the chazzer and am itching to have a go at more!

 

[sojourner]

Yeah I have slightly given up fermenting because I kept forgetting to eat the results. If it's not going to work as a relish though you could always have it as a little starter.

That's a good idea, thank you.

 

[iona]

So what other veg do people ferment then? I scored 3 medium-sized Kilner jars from the chazzer and am itching to have a go at more!

Carrot is one of my favourites. I do a good spiced carrot recipe that's really great with stuff like dahl and curries - can dig out the recipe if you want?

Red cabbage is good too. I like the pepperiness of raw parsnip but I know some people have issues with fermenting root veg because of the sugar content.

 

[sojourner]

Carrot is one of my favourites. I do a good spiced carrot recipe that's really great with stuff like dahl and curries - can dig out the recipe if you want?

Red cabbage is good too. I like the pepperiness of raw parsnip but I know some people have issues with fermenting root veg because of the sugar content.

Aye I'd love it, thank you. Gonna dig out those seeds you sent me soon, have good gander at what's there and what I fancy planting

Ooo, I have parsnips right now. Recipe?

 

[iona]

Aye I'd love it, thank you. Gonna dig out those seeds you sent me soon, have good gander at what's there and what I fancy planting

Ooo, I have parsnips right now. Recipe?

Parsnips I think in the past I've just done 2% salt plus a small amount of cabbage or whatever if I was doing other ferments and had leftovers. One good batch I did had a bit of either three-cornered or actual leeks iirc. I've tried fresh horseradish but all the spiciness seems to get released into the air when you grate it and it never tastes of much.

If you do red cabbage, a small amount of beetroot in with it works well

Spiced carrot - I add this much of everything per 200g of carrot (just coz that's how much fits in one of the jars I use)
1½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black onion (aka nigella) seeds
About an inch of fresh ginger, finely grated
Slightly less fresh turmeric, finely grated
2% of the carrot's weight in salt, or adapt the recipe to whatever salt or brine % you prefer to use
I put a small amount of finely chopped orange peel (like 1 tsp per jar) in one time and it worked really well, but I'd go ginger + seeds OR ginger + orange, not both.
E2a I hate aniseed flavours but fennel seeds might work well if you don't

And think about getting a cheap mandoline from Nisbets or somewhere if you don't already have one!

 

[iona]

I don't mind sticking some fresh turmeric in the post if you can't track it down in the barren wasteland of St Helens

 

[sojourner]

I don't mind sticking some fresh turmeric in the post if you can't track it down in the barren wasteland of St Helens

Read my mind. I saw 'fresh' and thought 'aye, like that's gonna happen'

 

[sojourner]

I have a mandoline. Had it for about 10 years, but knowing my tendency to blip out all the time, I was too scared to use it I now know it has a spikey disc on it to stop finger loss

 

[iona]

Read my mind. I saw 'fresh' and thought 'aye, like that's gonna happen'

Let me know if/when you want some sent, unless you're up for random unscheduled turmeric deliveries

I gave my mandoline finger protector away to another urb because I like to live dangerously

 

[bcuster]

Has anyone tried fermenting honey?

 

[sojourner]

Let me know if/when you want some sent, unless you're up for random unscheduled turmeric deliveries

I gave my mandoline finger protector away to another urb because I like to live dangerously

I will, thank you. Am away to see my lass in Scotland end of the month, so anytime after that would be grand. You star

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Parsnips I think in the past I've just done 2% salt plus a small amount of cabbage or whatever if I was doing other ferments and had leftovers. One good batch I did had a bit of either three-cornered or actual leeks iirc. I've tried fresh horseradish but all the spiciness seems to get released into the air when you grate it and it never tastes of much.

If you do red cabbage, a small amount of beetroot in with it works well

Spiced carrot - I add this much of everything per 200g of carrot (just coz that's how much fits in one of the jars I use)
1½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black onion (aka nigella) seeds
About an inch of fresh ginger, finely grated
Slightly less fresh turmeric, finely grated
2% of the carrot's weight in salt, or adapt the recipe to whatever salt or brine % you prefer to use
I put a small amount of finely chopped orange peel (like 1 tsp per jar) in one time and it worked really well, but I'd go ginger + seeds OR ginger + orange, not both.
E2a I hate aniseed flavours but fennel seeds might work well if you don't

And think about getting a cheap mandoline from Nisbets or somewhere if you don't already have one!

I use similar flavours when I make mine. I tend to use a food processor to grate the carrot when I do it, but it does work well with dahls etc.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Just ordered 10 little ramakins from ebay, hopefully they fit my existing Kiner style jars. I'm going to head over to Ikea when they arrive and stock up on more jars as well and do a whole load of red cabbage, it's such a great thing to keep in stock.

At some point I should pull my finger out and do Kimchi again, but it's a bit more faff.

 

[Idaho]

From right to left - onions with fenegreek and mustard seeds (quite good for a first attempt), my usual cabbage, carrot, ginger and turmeric sauerkraut (always a winner), and some turnip Ms Idaho made without checking the salt level (inedible!)

 

[nogojones]

Napa has come back to a price I'm willing to pay, so my first kimchi (with wild garlic) since Xmas.

I'm also trying mustard greens kimchi for the first time.

 

[sojourner]

Spiced carrot - I add this much of everything per 200g of carrot (just coz that's how much fits in one of the jars I use)
1½ tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 tsp black onion (aka nigella) seeds
About an inch of fresh ginger, finely grated
Slightly less fresh turmeric, finely grated
2% of the carrot's weight in salt, or adapt the recipe to whatever salt or brine % you prefer to use
I put a small amount of finely chopped orange peel (like 1 tsp per jar) in one time and it worked really well, but I'd go ginger + seeds OR ginger + orange, not both.
E2a I hate aniseed flavours but fennel seeds might work well if you don't

And think about getting a cheap mandoline from Nisbets or somewhere if you don't already have one!

Should I use a mandoline to slice the carrots in this recipe?

 

[sojourner]

Got my second batch of sauerkraut on the go at the mo. Had to move the jars from the kitchen to the spare room because the absolute stench was filling the house

 

[iona]

Should I use a mandoline to slice the carrots in this recipe?

I do, with the fine (2mm ish?) blade. Depends what texture you like it though.

 

[sojourner]

Cheers! I have several blades but no idea what size they are. Terrifies me just holding them tbh.

 

[iona]

Cheers! I have several blades but no idea what size they are. Terrifies me just holding them tbh.

Like this (deleted the first pic I took of it in the palm of my hand for scale in case that gave you the horrors )

But like I say just use whatever will work for the texture you want

 

[sojourner]

Thanks again, on all counts

 

[newme]

I usually do a cider, bit off put by the last result tho, I want to find whatever flavour they put in blood orange or rhubarb and custard ones which would help, so many damned apples to get rid of. Like 5-6 wheelbarrows worth that wasn't windfall. Did sour bread but it died after I got bored, same as the wholemeal sour, icelandic sour, etc. Amazing bread until it wasn't. Really want to do kimchi but I hate cabbage. Will have to see when the raised beds go up.

 

[Elpenor]

You can make kimchi without using cabbage. Cucumber is one variety that springs to mind