As the seasons change, our The garden is (mostly) asleep now During the winter months here in the North, we tend to get back inside and do more of the cooking and projects that we put off during the growing season.
When the temperature drops, a switch flips in me and I want to make everything “cozy.” Root vegetables From this time on, it begins to appear frequently on dinner menus. We enjoy roasting all kinds of root vegetables. radishturnip, beetsceleriac, rutabagas, sweet potato. Root vegetables are also delicious mashed in place of traditional mashed potatoes.
Among root vegetables, my mother likes parsnips. I have to admit they aren’t at the top of my list, but I do enjoy them. But I love parsnips, which are fermented and eaten as pickles. The same goes for radish. Root vegetables actually taste great when fermented and are great at retaining their texture and crunch throughout the fermentation process.
If you have leftover parsnips from Thanksgiving, try this easy fermented parsnip pickle recipe.
Yield: 1 pint jar (2 cups)
material
major
- Cut 1/2 pound parsnips into 1/4 inch coins
- 1 clove of garlic (minced)
brine
- 2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt dissolved in 1 cup water
Instructions
Wash the parsnips and cut off the ends. Cut into 1/4 inch coins. Do not peel the parsnip skins, as the naturally occurring bacteria in the skins will aid in fermentation.
Place parsnips and garlic in a clean pint-sized canning jar. Pack the parsnips tightly in the jar to avoid damaging or crushing them.
Once in the jar, pour in the brine until the beans are completely submerged and covered with at least 1/2 inch of brine. Be sure to leave 1 to 2 inches of headspace (the space from the top of the beans to the rim of the jar) in the jar. Leaving some space will help prevent bubbling during fermentation.
If your fermentation jar weighs less, add it to the jar and push the produce under the brine. Remove any small pieces of food that float on top of the brine. Being on top of salt water increases the risk of mold growth and eventual spoilage of the fermentation.
Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp towel. Attach the canning jar lid and tighten the ring securely.
fermentation
Ferment it for 5 to 7 days. Ferment at room temperature, ideally between 60-75°F and store out of direct sunlight.
Check the fermentation daily to make sure the brine covers all the produce. If the produce floats above the brine, use clean equipment to push it back under the brine.
Burp into a bottle every day. Slightly loosen and retighten the lid to release the accumulated gas (avoid damaging the jar and overflowing the fermentation liquid).
Taste the pickled parsnips after 5 days to see if they are fermented to your liking. It should be tingly because of the garlic. If it still has a raw taste, let it ferment for another day or two and taste again until you like it.
Transferring to the refrigerator will not stop fermentation, but it will slow it down. The taste and texture of fermented parsnip pickles will continue to change, so this fermentation is best enjoyed within 12 months.
side note
If you don’t have glass jar weights, you can improvise one using a small, easily removable food-grade glass dish that fits inside the jar. Or, if you have a small glass canning jar that fits into the mouth of the fermenting jar, you can use it to keep the produce under the brine.
If you’re not sure if your water is safe for fermentation, you can make a brine by boiling the water, letting it cool to room temperature, then adding salt and stirring. You can also use fine sea salt in place of coarse kosher salt if you prefer. This recipe does not change the measurements.
It is normal for the brine to become cloudy during fermentation. This is proof that fermentation is progressing smoothly.
This recipe is adapted from Stephanie Thurow. WECK Small batch storage Published with permission of Skyhorse Publishing Inc.