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Massaged Kale Salad and Kimchi Potato Salad

11/19/2017

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Recently I attended an event at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. It was a great event with a lot of other businesses who are also in love with the fermentation process. I kept hearing the word ‘fermentation’ and getting excited! Typically I’m the only people talking about the amazing world of fermentation and here I was with a bunch of folks who were equally excited!
For the event I made a few dishes to exemplify how to use fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut. I was expecting a few people to be interested in my products and I was also expecting as many to not try my delicious samples (and make a face like they were disgusted). I was astonished when all my samples disappeared in the first half hour! Everyone knew about sauerkraut and kimchi and they were so excited to try my samples and my dishes! People were even disappointed that they could not purchase the Potato Salad with Red Kimchi right there and then! This is for all those folks who loved the samples and want to make it for themselves! Check out the Find our Products page to find Fermentology products near you.

Massaged Kale with Purple Kraut

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
pinch sea salt
¼ cup Fermentology Purple Kraut

Directions:
De-stem your kale. You can use the stems in a soup, stew or stir-fry, they also make great chew sticks for dogs, cats or chickens. Rip the kale into bite size pieces, about 2”x2” and place in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar, add salt. With clean hands begin to mix and mash and massage and crush the kale leaves. You should see the leaves darken in color as at the acids break down the cell walls. Taste your kale and adjust your oil, salt and acid to taste. You will see a little bit of liquid created from the salt pulling water from the cells too (a process called homeostasis). You should only need to massage the kale for a few minutes, then add your Fermentology Purple Kraut. You do not need to drain the kraut but feel free to coarsely chop it, if that’s what you’re into. Then you can walk away for a few minutes (like while you prepare the rest of your meal) or you can eat it right away.
Letting the kale rest will allow the acid to continue to break down the cell walls. This process is important because it’s difficult for the human digestive system to get nutrition from the fibrous leaves of kale and other greens. Once massaged and the kales takes on it’s lovely dark green color more nutrients and vitamins are accessible.
I like to get creative with additional toppings, favorites include goat cheese, olives, red onion, fresh ground pepper, sweet bell peppers, diced apple, raisins, toasted pumpkin seeds, shredded carrot and nutritional yeast.


Potato Salad with Fermentology Kimchi

Ingredients:
2.5 pounds potatoes (I like Yukon Gold but your can use any)
1 pint Fermentology Red Kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped, reserve the liquid for later
½ cup your favorite mayonnaise
Directions:
​Bring 2 quarts of water to boil, or enough to cover the potatoes. Chop potatoes to 3/4” cubes and boil until soft. Drain and place on a baking sheet to cool. Mix your kimchi and mayo in a large mixing bowl. Once the potatoes have cooled and are no longer steaming, mix them with your kimchi and mayo. Mix and taste. I like to add almost all of the kimchi liquid but it’s up to your taste and tolerance to spicy flavors. Chill or serve immediately. Try it on a sandwich!
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"So, how do I eat this?"

8/27/2017

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It’s easy to incorporate more ferments in to your diet, below are some ideas to get you started:


  • Sandwiches!
  • BBQ, any ferment is great on top
  • Tempeh with avocado and a little miso-mayo is great with kraut
  • Smashed avocado with sprouts and any ferment
  • Try PB&K, Peanut Butter and Kraut! Or almond butter

Soups and stews can benefit from the umami flavors in Kraut and Kimchi:
  • At the beginning: add some kraut in with your saute before adding broth
  • At the end: add a healthy dose to your soup/stew off the heat (preserve the probiotics)
  • As a beautiful and delicious garnish: Pair your soup with a ¼ cup of your ferment of choice and drizzle with EVOO

Dinner Ideas
  • Put Kraut or Kimchi on a taco or burrito
  • Pair your favorite protein with a ¼ cup of your favorite ferment on top (think seared tuna and White Kimchi)
  • Throw a healthy dose of Kimchi into a stirfry for more flavor
  • Quick: Mix a ¼ cup of kimchi with organic brown rice and add a fried/poached/boiled egg on top for a satisfying but quick meal.


Refreshing Summer Salad
This is a versatile salad that’s perfect for the warm months. It’s a time saver, you can make the ingredients ahead of time and then use it with tacos, fritattas, soups, eggs, in lettuce or collard wraps, or in burritos.

Ingredients
  • Cooked Black Beans
  • Cooked Quinoa, Rice, Bulgar, Millet, or your favorite replacement, like riced cauliflower, your choice
  • Diced veggies: onions, carrots, zucchini, celery, radish, bell peppers, green beans, etc
  • Herbs: Fresh mint, thyme, oregano, dill, chives or lemon balm
  • Your favorite ferment, try Green or Purple Kraut, coarsely chopped

Cook your beans and your grain (or paleo favorite), mix with your veggies, herbs and favorite fermented vegetable. Dress with EVOO, freshly ground black pepper, maybe a little vinegar or lemon juice. Toss and enjoy!
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Why are Fermentology products sold in plastic containers?

8/20/2017

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I get this question a lot. It’s ok. I understand. In starting this business I spent a great deal of time choosing the container to package my kimchi and sauerkraut. I finally settled on the 16 oz plastic containers. But I frequently get this question, and this post is meant to explain my decision. I’ll give you my pros and cons that I used in coming to my decision and in the end, make your own decision. If you disagree or think I’ve got something wrong, please e-mail me! I give careful consideration to all suggestions and advice.

+++Glass
PRO: Most ferments are sold in glass containers. Glass can be recycled, indefinitely, into other glass containers or downcycled into products like fiberglass. It’s very inert, glass particles don't leach into the product contained. Plus it looks great.

CON: Glass is fragile and likely to break if dropped. It’s heavy so it requires more energy than plastic to transport. It’s fairly expensive (about $1.00 per container without label).

===Plastic
PRO: It’s light in weight. Most types of plastic can be recycled (check with your local recycling). It’s significantly cheaper than glass (about $0.45 per container). If dropped, it often won’t break.

CON: Plastic has a percieved unhealthy reputation; it’s made from oil sucked from deep in the earth. It’s processed. We know that plastic can be carcinogenic if it is exposed to direct sunlight.

>>>More on the breakdown of plastic. When plastic is in direct sunlight, UV rays (which make up the spectrum of light that falls to earth) can break bonds between carbon molecules. Once broken those molecules can leach as the plastic begins to breakdown. If plastic is kept out of direct sunlight it will break down very slowly and provide carcinogenic levels on par with glass.

Given the above I chose to use plastic as a cheaper alternative to glass that would be a bit more durable.  I try to make my ferments available to people in food deserts and to educated folks about the benefits of probiotics.  Many people I meet at my neighborhood market do not have access to probiotic rich food and I want to make it affordable for them.  Perhaps in the future I will be able to buy glass containers (with plastic lids) in such quantities that is costs the same as plastic.

Those are my reasons for making my decision. Please let me know if you have any feedback. Fermentology.foods@gmail.com


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Cured Eggplant

4/29/2017

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This is one of those recipes that has been handed to me and I absolutely love it.   This recipe comes from a fellow vendor.   I'll admit that it's a bit of a process, but it's worth it.  Each step takes only a few minutes of actual attention, so as long as you can be mindful of your ferment, you'll have success.  Folks tell me they love to eat this with sandwiches.  Personally I love to eat this on torn hunks of freshly baked whole wheat bread.  Of course, feel free to increase or decrease any of the ingredients (especially the garlic and carrot).

Ingredients: One medium to large eggplant Plenty of salt, non-iodized, ideally sea salt 1/2 bulb of garlic One carrot Olive oil, EVOO ideally
Day 1: Trim the stem off of your eggplant and pierce the skin all over with a fork.  You're making the eggplant more permeable so go crazy.  Place your eggplant in a pot of salted water.  How much salt?  I go with 1 tablespoon per 1 quart of water.  You'll need enough liquid to cover the eggplant.  Bring to a boil, cover, turn down the heat, and simmer until the eggplant is soft all over.  The skin will also turn more to a mauve color.  Once the eggplant is cooked remove and place between two plates, then add a weight on top.  For weights think a nice rock, 1 gallon bottle of water, barbell weights, you get the idea.  I typically place my plates (with eggplant in between) in a colander, sitting on the rim of a pot.  Anything so that you don't create a huge mess.  You'll be impressed how much liquid comes out.  Leave for 24 hours or overnight.

Day 2:  Remove weight and plate.  Slice or gently push your fingers into the eggplant to create a pocket (like a pita), this is where the garlic and carrot will go.  Pack it with shredded carrot and minced garlic.  Use your own discretion to determine how much to use.  I like a a lot of garlic so I use a lot, others do not.  It's up to you.  Also consider other ingredients; onions, shallots, parsley, thyme, oregano.  Herbs are wonderful in ferments because they contribute anti-mold properties.  Pack your stuffed eggplant in a clean, wide-mouth jar and fill with salty brine.  Use the same salt to water ratio as before (1 tablespoon to  quart water).  Cover the mouth of the jar with a clean cloth and secure with twine or a rubber band.

Day 3:  You may see bubbles of carbon dioxide beginning to form in your ferment.  This is natural and normal.  Use a wooden spoon, your fingers, a chopstick, whatever to push your eggplant down.  This will push the bubbles up.  Make sure there is enough brine to completely cover the eggplant.  Don't worry is there's a bit of eggplant at the surface, this is a brief ferment, so you should have a blanket of carbon dioxide protecting the surface.

Day 4: Repeat day 3.

Day 5: Repeat day 3

Day 6: Now that you've fermented your eggplant for 3 days it's time to halt fermentation and begin curing.  Please note, if you've been fermenting at temperatures lower than 70 F you can go a few more days.  During the winter my thermostat stays at 58 F so all my ferments go much long than during the warmer months.  Remove the dust cover and place a smaller strainer on top of the jar, then invert in a larger jar.  Let this drain overnight.  I recommend saving this liquid for soups and stews, its delicious. 

Day 7: Right your jar and pour in your olive oil.  Learn from my mistake and try the olive oil first to make sure you like the taste of the oil.  Some olive oils have a bitter taste which some folks don't like.  Also tasting your oil first, you can make sure you don't use rancid oil, which would be disastrous.  Your oil packed eggplant is ready to eat.  You may store it out (especially if you live in a house as cold as mine) or in the fridge.  I like to leave it out for a few days so that the oil may properly soak into the eggplant and then I move it to the fridge.

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    Author

    Amy Peddie has been fermenting since 2006.  Originally from Greensboro NC she has traveled all of the United States, often with active ferments.  She now resides back in Greensboro where she enjoys spending time with family and gardening.  

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