Fermented Radish

Let the fermenting begin!

Once we cross the threshold into to summer, every day is about harvesting and preserving something.

Today was about clearing one of the radish patches (so I can plant something in its place). I love radishes, and use them in salads, in cooking, and especially in fermenting with other veg, as well as a stand-alone. It’s a quick ‘n’ easy ‘n’ oh-so-delicious-n-nutritious way to preserve them.

Some of the radishes I harvest today were set aside in the fridge for fresh use, and the rest were placed a quart jar with some sliced garlic scapes, and covered with a salt brine. I weigh them down with a glass weight (a clean rock works, too) to keep all the plant matter submerged, and cap it with a silicone airlock. These will sit on the counter for (at least) a few days to start their fermenting. I’ll taste them, and when it feels right, I’ll place the jar in the back of the fridge to forget about for a few weeks (or more), where they’ll continue fermenting very slowly, and then… when I remember or rediscover them, they’ll likely disappear quickly as they’re eaten out the jar, used in salads, and in cooking.

If you’re wondering, this brine was made to taste, using 2ish tablespoons of kosher salt to a quart of untreated water. I like to keep things super-simple. I could on, but I just wanted to share this with you… and invite you to give it a go!

🕊