Meat garum (just think soy sauce made from meat) was the first thing I planned to make after flipping through copy of the Noma Guide to Fermentation, by Rene Redzepi, a book I know plenty of my friends have been experimenting with. It is some seriously mind bending, technical restaurant ideas and experiments, and not for…
Fermentation
Lacto-sauerklraut with wild seeds is one of my favorite things to make.
Root Vegetable Sauerkraut, with Wild Caraway
Fresh sauerkraut is a world of difference from the mostly overcooked, mushy versions sold in jars at the store. Besides having a mild flavor (if you choose) the cabbage is still crisp, which gives you more freedom for cooking with it in the kitchen and having it keep it’s integrity. Cabbage is only one thing…
Nasturtium Capers (Lacto-Fermented)
Milkweed capers, dandelion capers, elderberry capers, I’ve made them all, but the best, from a flavor and texture perspective are nasturtium capers. They’re widely known in the chef and gastro-centric gardening communities, got a really good shout out in Jeremy Fox’s book On Vegetables in 2017. The book is chock-ful of cutting edge plates, and…
Ramp Leaf Fermented Sriracha
Here’s what happens when the first ramps arrive: the leaves and bulbs get separated, but there’s a much larger volume of leaves than bulbs when all the ramps are cleaned and processed. Needless to say, when I cook with ramps at the restaurant I regularly see the bulbs used faster than the leaves, especially if…
Winter Radish-Ramp Preserves / Retach mit Shmaltz
I’m not Jewish, but they’re masters of doing interesting things with poultry lard, and I love duck fat. This is one of those under the radar-cultural specialties people get flushes of memories from, or so the stories go. You might find it in an old delicatessen, or place that sells things like gribenes, and gefilte…
Fermented Ramp Sriracha
Sriracha. It’s become one of the three cornerstone American condiments alongside ketchup and mustard, and for good reason. It’s spicy, sweet and salty, with a touch of garlic. There’s competitors, but most I’ve tried either lack the body of the real deal, are heavy on the garlic, or have a raw, aggressive garlic taste to…