Fermented foods can keep help you healthy through the cold winter
Now that Halloween has passed we can all mention the C word without fear of reproach.
I am a bit of a humbug however and have been busy balking at decorated trees in apartment windows since mid-October — grumbling to myself and muttering in a bad-tempered, old-mannish way.
However such things can’t be avoided and one of the best things about that time of year is that it’s all about the food.
Food, like all stories, has two sides so I’m suggesting a multi-faceted reason to do some fermenting in preparation for the yule season. Fermented foods are an easy way to get good probiotics into your system and give you a real boost during the cold winter, helping to prevent colds and flus.
As someone who has spent almost every winter of my life sick with colds and flus, I can’t wax lyrically enough about how these foods can prepare and protect you. Who wants to be sick when you should be out enjoying yourself? With some advance preparation and planning you can even have fermented foods as part of your Christmas dinner and party food.
Sauerkraut, made with red cabbage and warmed up gently, goes great with turkey and salty ham. A delicious pickled salmon makes a great starter and some tasty kvass will protect your liver for the time when you might have one too many. If you want to be really creative, you can make these ferments and give to friends as gifts.
Makes one 1 litre jar.
1 head organic red cabbage, outer leaves and core removed, shredded 1 apple 2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp caraway seeds or other flavourings like star anise or black peppercorns
Put the cabbage into the bowl with the salt and grate in the apple. Mix everything together with your hands and then get your rolling pin or stick and begin pounding the cabbage, keep going for 10 minutes until some of the juices are released. Sprinkle on the caraway seeds or other flavourings, if using.
Get your sterile jar, pack the cabbage in including the juices, then press everything down with your stick and pop in your small jar or stone, to put pressure on the cabbage when you close the lid down. You want the cabbage to be submerged in the juices so it should be almost 3cm from the top of the jar. If your cabbage doesn’t fill the jar enough, you will have too much oxygen in the jar and it will spoil. Place the jar on a plate to catch any juices that overflow.
Leave the jar at room temperature for 4-5 days, you should see bubbles happening inside, this means it’s working. In a cold winter maybe put it in the airing cupboard, the ideal temperature is 18-20 C. Open the jar every day to release the gases. The carbon dioxide being released may make the jar spit juices at you, so be prepared. This means it’s working. Always keep the jars on a plate or tray when fermenting to catch any spillages.
Once the bubbles have died down, you can remove the small weight inside and store the jar somewhere unheated or in the fridge where it should keep happily for about six months.
Kvass looks and tastes great and is a very easy drink to make. One small glass each morning and evening will give your liver some much needed love and support throughout the party season, and beyond.
You will need 1 x 2-3 litre glass jar, sterilised
1 large beetroot, uncooked, organic will work best here 1 cup whey (optional) 1 tbsp sea salt Filtered/spring water, enough to fill the jar
Simply peel and slice the beetroot into chunky pieces and place them in the jar, topping up with the whey, salt and water until the jar is almost full.
Keep the jar at room temperature for 2-3 days and then transfer somewhere cool, ideally the fridge, but if you live in Ireland, any storage that’s unheated in winter will do.
Drink a glass in the morning, diluted with water if you prefer, and one in the evening. This is a great tonic for your liver and is said to help with joint pain too.
This is a treat food and perfect for canapes or as a starter. You will need a 1litre sterilsed jar with lid. It means you can prepare well ahead of time too. Serves with a few pickled nasturtium seeds.
You will need to make up a basic brine of 1litre water with 3 tblsp sea salt and mix it well.
Try and use filtered, non chlorinated water here. Add 2 bay leaves and a teaspoon each or mustard seed, juniper berries, allspice berries and black peppercorns. Heat this gently until below boiling and then leave to cool fully before using:
4 tblsp whey 2 lb skinned, boned raw salmon cut into cubes Handful of fresh dill 1 lemon, cut into slices
Mix the brine with the remaining whey.
Pack the fish pieces into the jar, adding in the dill and lemon slices as you go.
Cover with the brine, leaving about an inch of space at the top for the gasses to expand.
Leave at room temperature for 24 hours, let the gas, if any out of the jar and then transfer to the fridge.
Enjoy within one week.
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