Fermenting With a reCAP and Mason Jar

I’ve been on a fermenting hiatus. I reached my fermentation/sprouting breaking point one day about a year ago when I was attempting to cook a meal that was becoming increasingly frustrating due to shrinking horizontal prep space. I stopped cold turkey. At the time, I had numerous projects underway including mead, wine, sauerkraut, kimchi, kefir, kombucha, yogurt, and half a dozen varieties of sprouts – most in 2 gallon buckets or 1 gallon carboys. I didn’t feel like I was gaining health in my endeavors, only losing control of my surroundings, in particular, my counter space. The balance had tipped from fun-with-fermenting to high-maintenance-chaotic-experimentation.

Now that I’ve been away form it, I find myself once again seeking to get back on track with a traditional and ancestral-esque style of eating and living. Wanting to keep my counters less cluttered (I live in a 750 sq. ft. home, so there isn’t much room elsewhere for these projects) I started thinking about reintroducing some ferments, but keeping them to a manageable one quart size. I also wanted to shift from doing some ferments in open containers (plate on top, submerged with brine, etc.) to closed containers. Voila! The Recap on a mason jar with an airlock was born. Who knew that a #6 rubber stopper would fit in the Recap hole? Genius.

Simple Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar

Supplies:

• wide-mouth quart mason jar
• wide-mouth reCAP lid (we sell these at the Seaside Farmers Market & will soon be adding them to our online store)
• #6 rubber stopper (bung) – available at a home brew store and sometimes hardware stores
• an airlock – available at a home brew store and sometimes hardware stores

Ingredients:

• one cabbage head – I used a savoy cabbage. Napa works great as does just regular ol’ cabbage.
• 1-3 tablespoons of sea salt – I used a Kosher sea salt
• a few sprigs of fresh dill – may substitute other herbs or go without
• several whole peppercorns – not necessary

Shred the cabbage with a processor or simply cut it into 1/4″ wide strips. Layer the cabbage in the mason jar and sprinkle with a little salt. Using a heavy glass, wooden muddler, or your fingers, press the cabbage down into the jar. Add the dill and peppercorns randomly in the layers. Repeat this process until the jar is full, leaving 1″ of head space at the top. Pressing the cabbage and the addition of salt releases the juices of the cabbage. The cabbage should eventually be submerged in its own brine. I usually come back and press it a few times through the course of the first few hours to help it along. If it doesn’t have enough of its own juice to cover the cabbage, top it off with a little filtered water. In this batch, I got a whole cabbage in the jar. It’s probably a little too compact, but that’s okay. We started nibbling on it within a few days.

Screw the lid on tight. Before making the sauerkraut, check to be sure that your reCAP and your mason jar are air tight. Put the airlock in the bung (I’m using a 3-piece airlock) and the bung in the reCAP hole. Make sure it’s all tight. Put water in the airlock. In a few hours, you should see the middle piece of the airlock start to push against the top of the airlock. That will indicate that your sauerkraut is starting to ferment and the set-up is indeed air tight. You can start eating your sauerkraut within a couple of days, though ideally, let it ferment for a few weeks before moving to cold storage.

 

Simple Sprouting Recipes eBook

Looking for ways to enjoy your sprouts? Need direction on how to grow your sprouts? Our new e-Book, Simple Sprouting Recipes is now available as a downloadable PDF. Our recipe book features 15 sprout recipes and directions for growing all types of sprouts from greens to beans. Visit our website to download your copy today.

 

Sprouted Lentil Dip

I thought it would be fun to share a sneak peek from my new recipe book, Moonlight Micro-Farm’s Simple Sprouting Recipes. Over the last three years, I’ve had many people at the farmers market express an interest in sprouting, but they are either intimidated by the process or aren’t sure how to use them once they grow them. I hope that this book will help demystify the world of sprouting. The e-book should be available in early August with a hard copy to follow shortly after. I’ll keep you posted!

…and straight from the book…

Since lentil sprouts are so quick to grow, I’m always looking for new ways to use them. This recipe borrows from a traditional hummus recipe, without the tahini. The cilantro and lemon brighten the earthy flavor of the lentils and the sun-dried tomatoes impart a warm summertime feel. Alternatively, roasted red peppers could be used. This makes a tasty, healthy, and quick snack.

*photo courtesy of Eric Marcus

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sprouted lentils (green, red, French, or mixed)
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil)
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 TB extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp tamari or soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 1/4 cup water as needed
• salt and pepper to taste
• paprika

Directions:
Sprout the lentils until they have pleasantly popped open (24-48 hours). Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth. Add the water as necessary to smooth out the texture. Sprinkle with paprika and serve with pita points, sliced vegetables, or on individual pieces of endive.

I have to give my collaborator and husband a big THANK YOU for the awesome photos he took for the book. You can see more of his work at www.emmarcusphotography.com

 

The Garden Has Sprung

My daughter recently said, “I’m not a procrastinator, I just like to do things later.” Even at 22, she’s so cute.

I’m not procrastinating, I’ve just been super busy! It’s been two weeks since my last post, a little longer than I had anticipated, but given the time of year { SPRING!!! }, it’s not surprising. I want to thank everyone who has followed along with my blog, shared my newsletters, and shown their support through my online store and the farmers market. March was an explosive month for seed sales; an indication to me of people choosing to take back control of our food. I’m excited about the direction of Moonlight Micro-Farm and how it is evolving to synch with what I feel is my right livelihood. I can’t thank all of you enough. Thank you! Thank you!

I want to share some of my latest garden ventures and harvests with you. Over the last two months, I’ve started over 150 tomato and pepper seeds, herbs, squash, pumpkins, beans, melons, and a mix of various flowers. I’ve transplanted a gardenia, a couple blackberries, a hibiscus, and a limequat; all long over due to be given a more permanent home. I’m back to growing wheatgrass trays for Raw & Juicy and sprouts for my new sprout tasting bar at the Seaside Farmers Market. I’m also continuing to build beds and putting together containers to further expand my growing area.

Last year was my first year in our new/old house and the primary focus was clearing debris (a 30 yard dumpster full!), observing the site, and getting some infrastructure in place. So, this year is all about better defining zones, getting edible perennials in place, and filling in the details.

What’s Being Harvested Now

With the fast warming weather, my spring garden – it’s more aptly described as a cool season garden in the South – has exploded and is already in rapid decline. My Dwarf Gray Sugar Peas turned out to be mini giants, reaching almost five feet tall. I’ve also discovered that though they are an old reliable heirloom, they aren’t the tastiest sugar peas to be had. That’s too bad because they are quite prolific. I know better for next year. The great thing about Peas is that they are the first ones up, giving that boost of gardening confidence and an infusion of inspiration. Next year I may try Melting Mammoth or Sugar Ann’s. In the meantime, I continue to harvest the pods young and eat them fresh, right in the garden, or lightly sauteed and added to other dishes.

{ all photos courtesy of e.m.marcus | photography }

I’m also harvesting Tom Thumb Lettuce; Bibb Buttercrunch Lettuce; Watermelon Radishes; Russian, Lacinato, and Dwarf Blue Scotch Kale; Cylindra Beets; and Little Finger Carrots. All of these varieties have done incredibly well. Kale is hands down, no fail. The Bibb lettuce seems to hold up well with our hot days, though it is starting to bolt now. The small Cylindra beets didn’t split and become woody. The tops are just as tasty as the roots. Same for the Little Finger Carrots, nice smallish size, well developed roots, and good semi-sweet flavor. I bought the Watermelon Radish seeds from Cubits. I was worried that I had planted them too late because they got extremely leafy and no radish. All of a sudden, the root started bulbing and in just a week, I had perfectly shaped radishes, a little bigger than a golf ball. Beautiful and tasty! I would recommend these as a good winter radish for the South. I’ll definitely be carrying those seeds this fall.

What’s Sprouting?

We have our very first ever flowering banana. I was hopeful a few weeks ago that we would be gorging on bananas in a few months, but they seem to be having some sort of development issues. I’m not sure what’s going on, but will continue to hope for the best.

Crane Melons, White Scallop Squash, Seminole Pumpkins, and that mess of peppers and tomatoes are all in various stages, from sprouting to ready to be transplanted. The Jubilee Watermelon Seeds that I saved from my late fall surprise watermelon are also sprouting nicely. It remains to be seen if they will produce fruit. I’m offering some of these seeds to anyone who is interested in trying some out and seeing how they do. Shallots are poking up and the blackberries are in full flower. Let’s hope the Mockingbirds save us some berries.

In other news

• There are still a few spaces available in the Design Your Dream Garden Workshop that I’ll be instructing at Greenway Park in Seagrove Beach on April 29 & May 6.

• We will be offering another giveaway in connection with an article where we will be featured. It’s a surprise! Details coming soon.

• We have a few fun gifts planned for Mother’s Day including our Biodegradable Bamboo Pots and Seed Pops.

• We’re starting a new market!!! We will be joining the brand new Grand Lagoon Waterfront Farmers Market on Sundays from 1:00-6:00 pm. This new farmers market begins on April 15th. We’re super excited because this market will be located right in our neighborhood. If you’re local, please come visit us. It’s a different set of vendors than the Seaside Farmers Market and a whole new crowd. It’s going to be a lot of fun!

• We’re also making a few changes to our online shop. Not sure of the scope yet, but details to follow.

That wraps up Moonlight Micro-Farm garden news. Yep, that’s me picking peas.

Happy Planting!

 

Roasted Beets and Baby Greens

I’m often mistaken for a vegetarian. It’s human to project onto others what we need to right the world in our own minds. I just find the shock and awe a little amusing. I can’t know for sure, but I think I’ve lost a few customers who “discovered” my secret. It’s not really a secret. The fact that I sell vegetable and sprout seeds doesn’t preclude one from being an omnivore. It’s the sprout thing that trips people up. The two are not mutually exclusive. I can be an omnivore AND I can be a proponent of eating fresh vegetables, including sprouts. It’s all about eating a fresh diet that is varied, local, individualized, and selected with conscious.

That first paragraph was just to warm you up for an all vegetable dish I wanted to share, except for the cheese, which could be omitted. I’m the type of cook who looks around to see what’s on hand, then finds a recipe using those ingredients. By default, I end up making meals that are often all vegetables, local, and in season. Without pretense, I wanted to share this yummy creation. Really, I just wanted to show off my husband’s photo, so do take a look below.

photo courtesy of e.m.marcus | photography

Amazing right? I found several beet salad recipes that looked worthy, though I mixed mine up a bit. Here’s my rendition for Roasted Beets and Baby Greens.