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I am still working these recipes.
Cultured Vegetables
From
Thom's Recipe File
Cultured vegetables are made by
shredding cabbage or a combination of cabbage and other vegetables and then
packing them tightly into an airtight container. They are left to
ferment at room temperature for several days or longer. Friendly
bacteria naturally present in the vegetables quickly lower the pH, making a
more acidic environment so the bacteria can reproduce. The vegetables
become soft, delicious, and somewhat "pickled."
The airtight container can be glass or stainless steel.
Use a 1 to 1½ quart container that seals with a rubber or plastic ring and a
clamp down lid. Room temperature means 72 degrees Fahrenheit, for at
least 3 days. We prefer to let ours sit for six or seven days.
You can taste them at different stages and decide for yourself.
In the winter months if your kitchen temperature falls
below 70 degrees, wrap the container in a towel and place it inside an
insulated or thermal chest. In the summer months the veggies culture
faster. They may be ready in just three or four days.
During this fermentation period, the friendly bacteria
are having a heyday, reproducing and converting sugars and starches to
lactic acid. Once the initial process is over, it is time to slow down
the bacterial activity by putting the cultured veggies in the refrigerator.
The cold greatly slows the fermentation, but does not stop it completely.
Even if the veggies sit in your refrigerator for months, they will not
spoil; instead they become more like fine wine, more delicious with time.
Properly made, cultured vegetables have at least an eight month shelf life.
Once you master the basic technique, be creative.
Try different vegetable combinations, and include dark green leafy
vegetables like kale and collards. Soak, drain, and chop up some ocean
vegetables like dulse, wakame, hijiki, and arame. Add your favorite
herbs (dried or fresh), seeds (dill or caraway), and juniper berries.
Even lemon juice can be added to the "brine." Try leaving out the
cabbage all together and making a batch of cultured daikon.
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| Lactic
Fermentation? |
Lactic fermentation is a proven traditional
of preserving foods. This kind of preservation is the only
one that preserves all the natural substances of the vegetable.
By lactic fermentation you preserve the food and at the same
time improve its quality. It allows the flavors to fully
develop.
Nutritionists recommend this kind of fermented vegetable.
Thanks to fermentation it cannot only be preserved for a long
time and has a delicious taste, but it also prevents a number of
illnesses typical of an industrialized society.
Fermented vegetables are essential for a healthy diet.
Natural fermentation is one of the oldest known preservation
methods. Lactic acid bacteria ferment the vegetables and
they preserve longer, have a pleasant acidic taste and a rich
contents of vitamins and minerals.
Sauerkraut is probably one of the healthiest foods, "writes
vicar Sebastian Kneipp. James Cook introduced sauerkraut
for ship crews. Thanks to its high contents of vitamin C,
this fermented vegetable protected quite a number of sailors
against the plague of the seas--scurvy.
The latest scientific studies confirm the age-old experience of
natural and popular medicine fibers keep a healthy digestion
going and lower the cholesterol level. Lactic bacteria are
important for the build-up and maintenance of a healthy
intestinal flora. Secondary plant substances prevent
cancer, protect the body against infection and inhibit the
growth and reproduction of fungi. The anti-ulcer factor
protects the digestive system against stomach and intestinal
ulcers. And then there is also a natural anti-depressant
named acetylcholine. |
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