Winter Pickles
I admittedly have not had more opportunities to post recipes because of the bustling and business of the market. A lot of goes into the preparations of Thanksgiving and has taken up most of my brain power. Unfortunately I kept myself too busy and worked so hard that I severely strained my back and the only way to heal it is to do what I'm terrible at: rest.
So during one of the busiest weeks of the year, I was forced to stay home from work -- something that was not exciting to me as it might sound like. On the contrary I was really looking forward to working this week, and am hoping that a day full of resting will yield good results so I can go back tomorrow.
In lieu of going to work on a busy Sunday, I will post the pickle recipes that I made last week. I have also been cooking during all of the Thanksgiving preparations, but when things get stressful, I do turn to pickling and fermenting to find my chill. I retreat to the kitchen with some music in the background, and there's so much satisfaction when tuck the jars away, only to open them up a week later to see that your science experiment was a success.
Last week I scored some discount produce from the Berkeley markets, as per usual, and immediately thought of their pickle destiny. These two recipes feature lacto-fermented pickles of watermelon radishes and scallions. I couldn't believe it when I saw a huge plastic back full of what looked like 12 bunches of scallions for .99 that were still perfectly fine -- maybe a few bruises on the greens. As for the watermelon radishes, they are by far my favorite radish and I can't get enough of them for their taste and beauty. After slicing them, I think I stared at them for at least a few minutes.
Anyways, they were processed for pickling and this is how it was done:
Watermelon Radish Pickle
makes 1 large jar
This is "dry" fermented pickle meaning I don't add water to create a pickling liquid. I use the natural liquid that is extracted from the excess moisture in the radish. I also only let the pickle ferment at room temperature for less than a week so it doesn't grow unwanted mold as a result of the lack of liquid.
1 very large watermelon radish (such as the size of a softball) or a few small watermelon radishes
1" piece ginger, grated
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 tbsp pickling salt or sea salt
1 tbsp sugar
First slice the watermelon radishes into large rounds, about 1 cm in width. Then slice the rounds into sticks, also about 1 cm wide. Once more, cut the sticks into cubes so you're left with a radish box that's a cubic centimeter!
Place the cubed radish in a large bowl. Sprinkle the salt, sugar and the remaining ingredients and mix. Let all of the ingredients sit and marinade for about an hour. After an hour, there should be a small puddle of liquid that was extracted from the radishes.
Without discarding the liquid, add everything to a jar that fits everything snuggly. Probably a 16oz jar that has a well-sealing lid. Screw the lid on tightly and put in a cool dark place for 3-4 days. After 3-4 days, open and taste to make sure the radishes are a little fizzy and effervescent. You should hear a little pop when first opening the lid, as well. Store in the refrigerator.
Miso Koji Scallions
makes 1 quart jar
Koji is a fungus that inoculates rice to create fermentables like sake & miso. Koji-kin is the inoculated fungus grains that are suspended in salt water. You can find it in most specialty grocery stores and definitely Asian markets.
8-10 bunches scallions, cleaned of dirt
1" piece ginger, grated
1/4 cup koji-kin
3-4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tbsp sugar or agave syrup
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 chili pepper (optional)
In a large bowl, add the scallions and the remaining ingredients. Let sit for at least an hour so all of the excess water is expelled from the scallions. After an hour or so, the scallions should be sitting in a puddle of their own liquid thanks to the salt.
Next, shove the entire contents of the bowl inside a large mason jar. Make sure the lip of the jar is wiped clean once everything makes it inside. Once completed, fasten the lid and let sit in a cool dark place (like a pantry or cabinet) for a few days. I found that the scallions fermented a lot faster than the radishes, surprisingly, and didn't need too much time out of refrigeration.
After a few days have passed and pressure has clearly built up in the jar, transfer to a fridge and enjoy! I serve these scallions in noodle dishes, over rice, or blended in a salad dressing!
