I am a long-time lover of sour pickles; sweet pickles being a food I can never understand. My earliest memory of getting in trouble with my Mom was when I accidentally dumped a jar of pickle juice on the couch cushions. Apparently sneaking a jar of pickles while sitting on the couch wasn’t such a good idea for a five-year-old. Since then I have expanded my pickle horizons, to say the least. While my favorite kosher pickles are still chocked full of garlic and hot pepper, they’re also fermented. I also like to vary my pickling vegetables. Cucumbers are great but I also find radishes, beets, and carrots make a nice addition to sandwiches. Or snack on them from the comfort of your couch… just be careful with the pickle juice.
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled
- handful of dill, oregano, or parsley (as preferred)
- 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 lbs. carrots, sliced thin as for sandwich slices
- 2-3 cup water
- 2 tsp. salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the garlic, herbs, and red pepper flakes into the bottom of a quart jar or fermenting vessel. Pack the carrot slices into the jar tightly, leaving at least 1.5 inches of head space.
- Mix the water and salt and pour over the other ingredients in the jar, leaving about 1″ of head space. Weight the carrot slices down with a ceramic fermentation weight. Seal the jar tightly and allow to ferment at room temperature for at least 4-10 days. During this time be sure to burp the jar if you are not using an airlock. This should be done twice per day and the jar should be checked on periodically to be sure that the higher sugar content of the carrots does not cause the jar to build up too much pressure.
- After at least four days taste them. If they aren’t tangy enough, allow them to ferment longer.
- Once they are to your satisfaction, serve them atop sourdough bread for sandwiches or in salads. Store in cold storage in between use.
