Naturally Fermented Dill Pickles

Nearly all store brand pickles are created with vinegar as the base as it guarantees a sour flavor and acts as a preservative. However, using vinegar instead of brine prevents natural fermentation from occurring. The live bacteria cultures that will grow, that turn pickles into a healthy probiotic food, are missing. Also, pickles that soak in vinegar for a long time are usually too sour and end up rather limp.

There are brands of naturally fermented pickles to be found in stores, although they can be expensive. Making naturally fermented pickles at home is pretty easy to do and is more fun than you might think. They will crunch, have an earthy tang, will be infused with garlic and dill and taste fresher than a factory made pickle.

Start with this easy recipe first but then be prepared to play with flavors and switching up veggies on the next bottles, any herb, spice and vegetable is fair game.

This recipe is for one 16 ounce jar and can easily be doubled. 

6-8 small (3-4 inches long) un-waxed cucumbers. Look for pickling or “Kirby” cucumbers which are an ideal size. 

1 1/2 cups filtered water

2 tablespoons sea salt (or other non-additive salt)

4-8 sprigs of fresh dill

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut in half a

1 wide-mouth 16-ounce glass canning jar (sterilized in boiling water and air-dried)

Optional seasonings: red pepper flakes, hot chiles, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, celery leaves, bay leaves, fresh herbs, onion, cinnamon stick, cloves

Combine salt and water and let sit until salt dissolves

After washing the cucumbers, cut the tips off on both ends. Leaving the cucumbers whole, cutting them in half, spears, or coins is a matter of personal preference. I like coins best but will try long thin slices for sandwiches next time.

Tightly pack the the jar. Layering in the garlic and dill. The cucumbers will shrink a little during the pickling process.

Pour the salt water into the jar. It should completely cover the cucumbers.

Set the lid loosely on top of the jar, don’t seal it. Let the jar sit undisturbed at room temperature. You’ll know fermentation has begun when you see bubbles rising to the top of the jar and the water becomes cloudy. A thin layer of white scum may form on the surface of the water. This is harmless and can be scooped away with a clean spoon. 

It will take between 4 to 8 days before the pickles are done. Taste the pickles to check for texture and flavor. Once you’ve decided they’re done, tighten the lid and store the pickles in the refrigerator. Store for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, skimming as needed. If the pickles should become soft or begin to take on an off odor, this is a sign of spoilage and they should be discarded.

If the flavor of the pickles is not vinegary enough for you, try drizzling a little vinegar on the spears right before eating.

Roast leg of lamb with honeyed figs - Crockpot

6 garlic cloves, halved
flake salt and fresh cracked pepper
2 large sprigs of fresh rosemary
1 tsp paprika
2 tbls olive oil

9 fresh figs, stemmed and chopped 

1 cup red wine 

2 tbls balsamic vinegar 

2 tbls honey

1 boneless leg of lamb (3 1/2 pounds)

Last 1/4 cup of coffee from brew pot

With a small knife, cut 12 small slits in the lamb, pour in olive oil and place 1/2 clove garlic in each slit. Pour on the coffee.




Chop the figs and then drizzle with wine, vinegar and honey. Arrange  on top. Then sprinkle lamb with salt, pepper, and paprika. Set the crockpot on high allow to cook for 6 hours.

Layered over smashed potatoes,
carrots, and celery.

Served with buttered rye bread
from B.Ferrante's Bakery.

Super Gyro Shawarma

Art by Anna Rettberg

So by now I should be able to post this and not worry about posting *Spoiler Alert*, right? If you haven't seen it yet, stay till the very end. You never leave a Marvel movie till the projector shuts off. If you stayed, congratulations, you're awesome! I decided to try my hand at making some Super Gyro Shawarma...

2 lbs  lamb fillet (picked up from African Market Halal in the Westside)
3 1/2 oz. tallow, suet or lard
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp each of nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, ground cloves, allspice, finely ground pepper, mistika (pestle ground gum mastic also called arabic gum), and sea salt

Cut the lamb fillet and fat into very thin strips.

Mix the seasoning together with the vinegar and the olive oil.

Combine the lamb and fat strips in a bowl with the seasoning mixture and let marinate overnight, or at least for three hours.

Homemade pita bread

Heat a large skillet, set to high. Add the lamb and fat strips and cook over high heat until the fat melts and the lamb strips turn brown.

Serve with lemon juice thinned tahini sauce, thinly sliced red onion, thin strips of lettuce, hummus (red pepper hummus from the Lexington Co-op), tomatoes, tzatziki, and cracked pepper all rolled in a warmed fluffy pita bread.

Bumbleberry Pie and Hill n' Hollow Farmstead

Last Friday, I went to M&T Bank's Second Friday at the Birchfield Penny Art Center. While there I got to taste and talk and network with other food and art lovers and it was the Hill n'Hollow Farmstead table that stopped me in my tracks. I spoke with the farm's owner Pat LaPoint about her products and how I'd like to blog about them if they might be interested, and she and her sister Mary Ann started telling me about their Blueberry vinegar and Elderberry Chipotle Sauce and made certain I had one of each before I left. Their farm sits not far from the Trappist Monks of the Genesee Abbey who are known locally for their Monk's Bread.

I came home with these two jars and faint idea of what to do with them. Then I remembered that I promised to make Bumbleberry pies for an event I am catering this coming Thursday for the Women's Society of UUCB.

Bumbleberry pie is a sweet tart of a fruit pie and usually has rhubarb, but as it's too early in the season for it, I substituted red pears it's place.

For the two pie recipe you'll need:
2 pie shells
3 tablespoon Blueberry vinegar
4 cups apples - peeled, cored and chopped

2 cups fresh rhubarb (or red pears)

2 cups fresh strawberries
2 cups fresh blueberries

2 cups fresh raspberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice (keeps the apples from browning)
2 cups white sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tapioca

When the apples and pears were cut up, I turned them over in a large bowl with 1/2 cup ice cold water and the lemon juice. I then drained it well. All of the berries were washed well and the strawberries were cut into bite sized pieces.

I stacked them into a large container and poured the Blueberry vinegar on top.

I then added this to the bowl of fruit and stired it gently to mix together.

Then I mixed the flour, sugar, and granulated (not pearled) tapioca in a mixing bowl and pre-heated the oven to 350 degrees.

I stirred the dry ingredients in with the fruit.

Dished the fruit mix evenly between the pie shells.

Baked them for 50 minutes, turning the pans around at the 25 minute mark for even baking.

I tossed the leaves and skins in the compost pile and admired the flurry of butterflies.

The pie jelled beautifully and I'm certain it'll be a hit at the luncheon!

Concentrated Orange Peel Cleaner

These are Wegman's Organic Navel Oranges.

4 oranges' worth of peels.
              No extra pith beyond what's stuck to the inside of the peel.
1 cup of white and 1 cup of raw apple cider vinegars.
1 large quart size glass canning jar.

 Peel the oranges and remove any extra pith off of the peel that might have separated from the fruit.

Add to a quart size glass jar. Fill with vinegar and cap the jar. Let sit for three to four weeks in a cool and darkened space, like a cupboard. Then strain out the peels (they will be slightly gelatinous) using a Norpro jelly strainer or cheese cloth layered under the cap with the lid removed. Rinse out the original jar. Add the strained liquid back to the jar and re-cap.

Fill a tall spray bottle half way with room temperature water. Using a funnel, pour in the concentrated mix to fill the spray bottle up to two inches from the top. Shake to combine. Store this solution in a cool cupboard.

Marinated Chops, Salad, Armenian Rice Pilaf, Fingerling Potatoes

Marinate chops for 2 hours in Sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and juiced ginger. Pan fry in a bit of olive oil until deep brown. Don't over cook these! Internal temp - 165 degrees.

The salad is well washed baby spinach, sweet red peppers, avocados, and organic Bunashimeji Brown Beech mushrooms. 

Basic Armenian Rice Pilaf:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup orzo pasta
1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup uncooked white rice

2 cups veggie broth













The high in potassium fingerling potatoes from Wegman's grocers were boiled and served with whipped butter.

Beef Sukha, Curried Potatoes, and 7 Grains

Sukha is from coastal west India and combines styles from Malabari and Goan provinces.

This onion looked so juicy and delicious, like an apple, that I had to capture it before rough chopping it and frying it in a pan with oil, cinnamon, cloves, and vinegar.

1 1/2 lb beef
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp white pepper
3 tsp curry powder
2 tsps cumin powder
1 large onion chopped
2 tbsps ginger paste
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (optional)
2 1/2 cups yogurt
3 tsp vinegar

These diced potatoes are boiled in just enough water to cover them. Drain and add one stick of unsalted butter or 8 oz of ghee. Sprinkle liberally with curry and cover until the butter has melted.










Seeds of Change 'Tigris' is so good it's....I can't say anything more without sounding like a paid sponsor. But really, it's just that scrumptious!

So to top off all of this amazingly complex flavorful food I found this sparkling water to go with it. 

My family really liked the lavender, which is very nice, but I was impressed with the DRY cucumber soda which suited the dish. I highly recommend them!

Day 17 - Pork Roast in Stewed Apples, Potatoes, and Onions

 Break down cost of this meal.

2 onions $2.60
5 potatoes $3.00
6 apples $4.64
Pork Roast from Spars $9.19
Honey from Dawes Hill
Apple cider vinegar
"Chinese 5 Spice" $0.80

Total cost for 10 servings = $20.23

Turn your crockpot on high, adding a splash of olive oil. Large chop the onions, then potatoes, then the apples. Add in 1/4 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar. Sprinkle in 4 tbls of "Chinese 5 Spice". Place the roast on top. Cover and cook on high for three hours, then leave on warm until ready to serve.

We brought this to a potluck and it was tucked into before I could get a photo. But I can assure you the scent and flavor made the mouth water and everyone took heaping seconds!

Day 11 - Pickled Hot Peppers and Not Making Dinner

My friend Susan offered up bags of the most amazing red hot peppers I have ever seen. They made my eyes weep, they were so hot!



So I made the only thing I could think of, given the number of peppers - Pickled Peppers.

I started the canning pot to boil with five pint jars and their caps to sanitize them. Then placed the rubber edged lids in a small pot to simmer.

In another pot I added 3 cups of vinegar, 1 cup of sugar, 3 tbls of slightly cracked peppercorns, 1 tlbs dry mustard, 2 tbls celery salt. and brought this to a boil to dissolve the sugar.

 The peppers were washed, trimmed, sliced and layered in a large bowl with 1/2 cup of canning salts mixed in well. Any salt without iodine will work.

The peppers were added to the salt sugar mix and boiled for five minutes.

Then they were added to the jars, leaving aprox. 1/2 inch head room to allow for proper sealing.

Then aprox 1/2 to 2/3 cup of the pickling juice was added.

The lids were gently dried and placed on top of dried glass to ensure a tight seal. Then the bands went on and were fingertip tighened.

 The jars were added, add water to cover completely by no more than 2 inches. Boil for 10 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and continue to boil for five minutes.

Remove the jars and place them on a dish towel. Over the next thirty minutes their lids will make a pop noise as they fully seal.

Try not to move them around too much for the next six hours as they fully cool.







These are supposedly best in another 4 to 6 weeks, but I think that's nuts, they were perfect when they went in, they'll be perfect when they come out, even if that ends up being tomorrow evening.

And so between doing this and making a batch of Basil Castile Soap I was exhausted and was thrilled with take out. Even I give myself permission to honor my energy levels, and so should you. Don't be everything to everyone, just honor you and others will be pleased with the outcome just the same.