Lacto-Fermented Garlic-Basil Beans

Tonight I tasted my first lacto-fermented batch of ginger carrots (refer to previous post).  It tasted very strongly of ginger, so if I attempt another batch I will decrease the amount of ginger to 1/3 or 1/4 the original amount.  I had no idea how potent even the smallest amount of fresh ginger root is.  Needless to say, it was a fun first attempt, but definitely not something I liked and want to gobble down.  However, lady genevieve likes it and does not seem to be bothered by the strong ginger taste, so it wasn't a wasted attempt.  I will feed that baby snacks of gingered carrots until that jar runs out or she stops liking it.

Onto the next lacto-fermentation batch: Garlic-Basil Beans (green & yellow wax).  Most recipes I found online were for Dilly Green Beans.  At the moment I do not have dill ready for use, so I decided to go with a garlic & basil combination.  It seems like a nice Italian seasoned snack.  We will see how this combination goes.

Cut & trim ends off fresh green & wax beans.  Then lay 1 quart canning jar horizontal on it's side, as you fill with beans- this keeps them standing straight up and makes it easier to squeeze them in tight.  Then dissolve 2 Tbsp. Sea salt in 3 cups of filtered water.  Pour into jar of beans.  Add 1/2 tsp. minced or fresh garlic.  Add 2 Tbsp. whey (optional).  Add fresh basil leaves to taste- I did about 7 medium size leaves.   Place glass weights on top of beans & basil to keep vegetables submerged under brine.  Fit air lock onto jar and place in a dark cool spot.  The instructions I found, suggested letting it ferment for 24-38 hours and then placing in the door of the refrigerator for a continued slow ferment (since this is the warmest spot in the refrigerator).  This causes the ferment to take longer, but also preserve the beans longer.  That recipe said the beans would be ready to eat in 1-2 weeks.   I think I am going to do a week of room temperature fermenting, and then do a taste test.

Lacto-Fermented Ginger Carrots

Now that I have Kefir production under my belt and a regular part of our daily life, I have been eager to try some food fermentation.  I found a number of Ginger-Carrot recipes and made that my first attempt at fermentation.  Since my fermenting supplies and kefir grains from Cultures for Health have yet to disappoint, I decided to test out their Lacto-Fermented Ginger Carrot Recipe.

4 cups grated carrots
1 tsp. fresh grated ginger root
1 Tbsp. Sea Salt
4 Tbsp. whey

I grated my large organic carrots, then the ginger root.  Mixed both together and added the Sea Salt.  Then I added 4 Tbsp. of whey that was strained from my kefir.  Mixed them together and squeezed the juices out of the carrots.  I poured entire mixture into a 1 quart Ball canning jar.  Placed 2 glass weights onto the carrot mixture to keep them under the brine.  I added some distilled water to increase the brine level enough to cover the carrots- we will see if this helped or hurt my first fermenting attempt.  Then topped it with a special air lock lid (can be purchased or home-made).  I placed the ferment in a dark cupboard. The recommended ferment time is 5-10 days.

I am currently on day 2.  I am eager to see how it turns out.  The ginger & carrot combination sounds delicious to me.  I haven't ever eaten fermented foods, but I am growing to love the concept and everything I read about the health benefits are solidifying my desire to make fermentation part of my everyday life and diet.  Last week, I picked up the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz from our local Library, in order to learn more about fermentation.  In the process, I got sucked into a few other books that peaked my interest.  One in particular, Paleo Manifesto by John Durant has been such an interesting read thus far.  It is a very compelling read, and may very well influence my food choices going forward.  I have learned more nutritional details backed by historical and medical facts, than I have ever known before.