I have a mass of cucumbers and we don't eat a lot of pickle or relish so I want to try fermenting them.Does anyone have a recipe or instructions on how to do this!Other than that does anyone have ideas on other ways to use them besides the usual salads, etcThanks in advance.
pickles7,
Jan 16, 4:06pm
Someone will be along soon I am sure. Hold in there.
goldy5,
Jan 16, 4:14pm
I give them to my neighbour. she says they are good in her fancy gin.
mjhdeal,
Jan 16, 4:29pm
With a username like yours, you ought to know about this subject!
You can ferment anything! Here is the forum I go to when I want to find out what others do, and how.
Fermented cucumbers are the one food that I do not particularly like fermented. They fizz on the tongue and so I often pickle them the traditional way because they stay crunchy and sweet.
lythande1,
Jan 16, 7:00pm
Fermented! What are you trying to do! Fermenting means to cause to become alcoholic. Or are you just wanting to pickle it!
uli,
Jan 16, 7:08pm
Fermenting as in "Lacto-fermentation"- - they way things were preserved before we used vinegar to pickle. Google it - sauerkraut is the most widely known item.
uli,
Jan 16, 7:10pm
You can also ferment soybeans = miso or tomato sauce or mayonnaise or fruit and most veges.
And I have found out by now that you can supposedly make crunchy fermented cucumbers by either adding grape leaves or oak leaves. Do they have lots of tannin maybe - or how does the biochemistry add up there!
elliehen,
Jan 16, 11:16pm
Ask you-know-who, the Queen of Ferment - and Foment ;)
uli,
Jan 17, 2:38am
I believe she still thinks I am the better "fermenter" LOL :)
elliehen,
Jan 17, 4:46am
.and a lot of people think you're a pretty good "fomenter" too ;)
uli,
Jan 17, 1:55pm
Sou think I have a soothing influence ellie! I feel honoured :)
Origin of FOMENT Middle English, to apply a warm substance to, from Late Latin fomentare, from Latin fomentum compress, from fovēre to heat, soothe; akin to Lithuanian degti to burn, Sanskrit dahati it burns First Known Use: circa 1613
". to apply heat and moisture to (a part of the body) to relieve pain and inflammation."
elliehen,
Jan 17, 2:38pm
We are now living in the 21st century and the meaning is:
fo·ment /ˈfōment/ Verb Instigate or stir up (an undesirable or violent sentiment or course of action): "they accused him of fomenting political unrest". Synonyms instigate - incite - provoke
However, Paleo followers may well be turning back the dictionary as well as the food clock for all I know ;)
Yes, I have used grape leaves and will say the gherkins had that crunch of an apple straight from the tree.
uli,
Jan 17, 4:14pm
Thanks for that pickles. I will give it another go then, I have lots coming on at present.
pickles7,
Jan 17, 6:04pm
uli.I have lost the recipe, If I remember correctly, I lined the bowl with grape leaves put the gherkins in and poured a brine over them [using sea salt], covered them with more grape leaves and left them to ferment and turn yellow, maybe 3 days. They were then rinsed and put a jar at a time into boiling white vinegar and spices and removed as soon as they turned a nice olive green, packed into a hot jar ,covered with the hot vinegar and sealed.
davidt4,
Jan 17, 7:56pm
We've got lots of cucumbers coming on too, and I'm going to use this recipe ,which I've used to make crunchy gherkins in the past.
Pickled Gherkins (or other veg)
approx 3 kg gherkins 100g plain salt (not iodised)
Wash gherkins.Put in a large bowl with the salt, add 1200 ml cold water, mix to dissolve salt.Leave at least 12 hours,up to 24 hours.
Drain and rinse in cold water.Pack tightly into jars,fill up jars with cold spiced vinegar, distributing the spices evenly.Seal and store for a few weeks before opening.
Spiced vinegar:
1200 ml vinegar - white wine or cider are best 2 sticks of cinnamon 1 tab black or white peppercorns 10 cloves 1 tab mustard seeds 1 tab celery seeds
Just used one grape leaf on top - reading Pickles' post makes me think I should have added more. Ah well. Systematic replication. Will add more leaves next time, and see what works.
davidt4,
Jan 17, 8:50pm
I haven't heard of using grapeleaves, but I dare say it can't do any harm and may add flavour.I think grape leaves may be high in tannins - I wonder if that's what it's about.Here's a discussion which is pretty inconclusive:http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/harvest/msg092135207537.html
vmax2,
Jan 17, 8:56pm
I just checked my Nourishing Traditions book and the pickled cucumbers don't use grape leaves.But I've been told that grape leaves help stop the cucumbers going soggy.
True lacto fermentation does not use vinegar so the above recipes of davidt4 and pickles are not naturally fermented.
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