P I C K L I S T
Cilantro - strawberries - napa cabbage - bok choy - carrots - radishes -
garlic scapes - english cucumber - lettuce
Will need to forgo all farm updates this week, as I chose to town parade followed by river nap on the 4th rather than newsletter. But if you are wondering how your farmers are doing, we are damp to say the very least. Despite rain boots, our feet are forever pruned and there is always one article of clothing on our body that just won’t dry. The rain is relentless.
On that note, eat your strawberries today! These Summer jewels have very little holding power. Delicious berries, but they too are feeling the effects of too much rain.
FARMY FOODIE PRO-TIPS:
BAECHU KIMCHI BY MORIHOUSE (@mori.house)/ Makes about one 750ml mason jar
1 large Napa Cabbage**, about 1kg/2lbs
Sea Salt (non-iodized), fine to semi-fine- 3% the weight of the Napa Cabbage
3-5 GARLIC SCAPES, thinly sliced (original recipe calls for garlic, but i think scapes would be awesome here)
zest of 1 Lemon, sliced into thin slivers
2 dried Togarashi Chili Peppers or Chile de Arbol, chopped (deseeded, optional)
3-5 cloves Garlic (I BET YOU COULD ALSO CUISINART SOME GARLIC SCAPES INTO A PASTE HERE), crushed into a paste
3-5 Tbsp Gochugaru (Korean Chili Pepper Flakes)***
1 Tbsp Fish Sauce (optional)
Pickling Brine* or Filtered Water
JENNY’S NOTE:
OTHER INGREDIENTS TO ADD TO THIS KIMCHI RECIPE JULIENNED CARROTS/ SLICED RADISHES/ CHOPPED BOK CHOY
Supplies:
1x Mortar & Pestle
1x Large Mixing Bowl
2-3 Spoons for mixing
1x 750ml sterilized, air-tight Mason Jar
1x Knife or Cleaver
1x Heavy object like a large stone or a large mason jar filled with water for weighing down your pickles.
1x Dish Towel
1x Small jar or pitcher for collecting excess brine
1x Fork or utensil to press down the pickles into the jar
Prepare the garlic scapes, lemon zest and chili peppers as described. Cut your cabbage into 1/8ths lengthwise and then widthwise into approximately 3 inch chunks. (JENNY’S NOTE: Add your julienned carrots, sliced radishes and chopped bok choy here to the mix)
Place into a large bowl and scatter the salt, lemon zest, garlic and chili peppers over the cabbage. Gently massage the salt into the cabbage mixture evenly. As you are doing this, you will feel the cabbage excrete its water content. This will take just a few minutes.
Next use a plate or another round flat object which has a smaller circumference than the bowl, so it fits just inside rim and on top of the cabbage mixture. Using a large stone, mason jars filled with water or another heavy object, weigh the plate and cabbage down. Cover the top of the bowl with a towel to keep dust from getting in and let it sit weighed down like this for at least 3 hours to lightly pickle. After the 3 hours or more have elapsed, you will find the water from the cabbage will have filled the bowl to cover the kimchi in what is now a salty *pickling brine.
Decant the brine into a pitcher or jar and gently squeeze a little out of the cabbage mixture. At this stage you will have a fresh, lightly-pickled style of napa cabbage known in Japan as “Hakusai no Tsukemono”. If you don’t like spicy, you can skip ahead to the jarring stage.
Crush your garlic into a paste with a mortar and pestle and a couple pinches of salt to break it down easier. Add your gochugaru, fish sauce (if using) and using small amounts of the brine, make a paste similar in thickness to a tomato paste. Chuck this paste into the drained cabbage mixture, still in the original bowl, and massage all together, making sure the paste is distributed evenly.
Use the following final steps for both the spicy and non-spicy versions: Layer your kimchi into the mason jar in 3-4 stages. Between each layer, use a fork to gently press the kimchi down as flat as you can. Continue to do this until all the kimchi is in the jar. Give it a few more presses with a fork, getting as much oxygen and as many air bubbles out as possible. If your kimchi paste was the right consistency, brine will rise to the top as you press the air out of the kimchi. If not, add small amounts of brine until it does. If making only non-spicy Kimchi, you will definitely need to add some brine. This extra thin layer of liquid at the top will help to seal your kimchi during the beginning of the fermentation process. Seal the jar and place it in the coolest and darkest part of your home.
Next is the waiting! 1 MONTH is the sweet spot but while it may not be for everyone, do try to wait at least 5-7 days before tasting. It takes at least this long for there to be any noticeable fermentation. In the colder seasons, it may take even longer, up to 10 days. If you want to “taste-as-you-go”, be sure to use a clean utensil and DON’T double dip! However long your preferred fermentation time, you will need to help the kimchi release carbon dioxide gas every couple of days. You may notice that when you open it, the kimchi will bubble. Sometimes it will bubble like soda but it may also only bubble slightly or barely at all. Either way, you can rest assured that it is fermenting. Each time you release the gas, you will also notice the kimchi may have risen slightly. Using a fork press it down again as much as you can. Brine may or may not rise to cover the kimchi at this stage and that is ok.
Note: Depending on whether or not you sterilized your jar properly and the environment temperature, you may occasionally find trace amounts of white, blue or green mold on the top of your kimchi. DO NOT worry about this. Simply remove it from the kimchi or wipe it off if it is on the jar or lid. However, if you find black mold, I’m sorry to say your kimchi may have been contaminated by unwanted outside bacteria. At that stage, it is better to start over just to be safe. All this said, mold is highly unlikely using this method.
After 1 month (or shorter) has elapsed, enjoy your kimchi as a side to most of your favorite Asian dishes, cook it in a dish or eat it as a snack!
**Do not use standard or savoy cabbage to substitute. However, you can use Bok Choy (same weight) as a substitute if Napa Cabbage is nowhere to be found.
***Note: I have had some students use Cayenne Pepper, Paprika or Chili Powder in lieu of Gochugaru before, but please use caution as the spice levels between these differ substantially. If you are absolutely unable to get Gochugaru and still want to try making spicy kimchi, start by making your paste with just one tablespoon of one of these substitutes. Taste it first, then add more, tablespoon by tablespoon until you reach a spice-level which is tolerable for you. However, I suggest you do try to add Gochugaru as a regular item in your kitchen. It is very versatile and easy to find online or at Asian Markets.
LENTIL, CABBAGE, AND FETA SALAD WITH FRIZZLED ONIONS BY LUKAS VOLGER
JENNY’S NOTE: I LOVE THIS RECIPE. My house has been eating this once a week since cabbage has been field ready. We never have all the ingredients. Many times we’ve made this without the lentils or onion- BUT the main players here are cabbage, feta, toasted almonds and fresh herbs, salt, and dressong. If you can gather those essential foods then chop on and eat up! (Also, I use the term “we” incredibly loosely, as my dear friend/housemate Rich, has been doing the cooking here).
Also, the book this recipe is from, START SIMPLE by Lukas Volger (Copyright © 2020 by Lukas Volger. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission.) proves to be an excellent Summer eating resource.
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup brown, black or dark green lentils
Salt
½ medium white or yellow onion
Olive oil
5 cups sliced cabbage
¼ teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons red or white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon honey
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
1.2 cup coarsely chopped toasted almonds
½ cup cilantro leaves (or other herbs!)
Combine the lentils with 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook until tender, 12 to 18 minutes, depending on which lentils you use. Drain off and liquid left in the pan and allow to cool.
(JENNY’S NOTE: SO FAR, WE HAVE NOT DONE THE FOLLOWING, BECAUSE THE ONIONS HAVE ONLY RECENTLY STARTED PUTTING ON SIZE, IT SOUNDS DELISH, BUT FEEL FREE TO SKIP IF YOU DON’T HAVE ANY ONIONS) Meanwhile, slice the onion into paper-thin wasps, preferably using a mandolin, or working carefully with a chef’s knife. Warm about ¼ inch of the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Dip a piece of onion into it to ensure it’s properly hot- it should sizzle immediately- then add all the onions. Cook, stirring often with a fork, untl they get crispy and turn a reddish-brown color, 10 to 20 minutes. Watch carefully for the final few minutes, as they burn easily. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a paper towel- lined plate and sprinkle with salt. SAVE THE OIL!
When the oil has cooled until it’s safe to handle, strain it through a fine mesh sieve or coffee filter to remove all solids into a glass jar (I use a 3-inch strainer for this task).
Toss the cabbage, ½ teaspoon of salt, and the sugar in a colander and let soften for 15 to 30 minutes, then gentlypress with a spatula to drain off excess liquid.
Combine the vinegar, mustard, and honey in a jar, along with the 3 tablespoons of the cooled onion-cooking oil. Shake to emulsify.
Fold the cabbage, lentils, cheese, almonds, and parsley leaves with most of the dressing in a serving bowl. Taste and add more dressing if needed. Pile the frizzled onions on top, tossing them into the salad at the table it’s being served.