Lacto-fermented carrots

Lacto-fermented carrots

This is a great intro recipe if you're new to lacto-fermenting food. The book, “The Idiot's Guide to Fermentation,” is a great resource if you want more info on why and how it works and the health benefits. If you're not inspired to try fermenting on your own, Beki Auclair of Vermont Fermentation Adventures makes amazing fermented products available at Mehuron's!

1 qt glass jar, with lid
Carrots, about a half pound
2 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp salt
optional garlic

Cut carrots to desired size (I like matchsticks). Pack as many as will fit into the jar along with the garlic if you choose to use it, leaving at least an inch of headspace. Mix the water and salt in a separate jar until salt dissolves. Pour saltwater over the carrots until covered. Discard the rest of the saltwater. Leave the jar on the counter for a few days, lightly covered with a lid, and on a plate in case liquid starts to bubble over slightly. Depending on the temperature of your kitchen, you should start to see bubbles form on the carrots and float to the top within a few days. Let the jar continue to bubble for a day or two, then start tasting the carrots. Put them in the fridge when they've reached a texture you like. We prefer them to remain crunchy, so we stop after a few days of bubbling. They last forever in the fridge, as the lactobacilli bacteria have now created a stable environment for themselves to flourish, keeping out any intruding bad bacteria. It is normal for white foam to form on the surface of the saltwater. How to tell if it's not working? It will smell awful. Maybe check the book out from the library for more info.

Cheers!