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MAKE DILL PICKLES WITH LACTO-FERMENTATION
Lacto fermentation preserves food without hot processing. The food is protected by lactic acid which prevents the growth of bad bacteria.
In general, you will want to have enough salt suspended in the liquid to keep mold from forming as the lactobacillus (the organisms that make lactic acid) take hold and begin to multiply. The liquid is referred to as the brine. Lacto-fermentation boosts the digestibility of the food so that the body can better assimilate nutrients. As with other cultured foods, the consumption of foods preserved in this manner helps replenish the digestive tract with beneficial enzymes which help aid digestion and combat harmful bacteria.
Preliminary preparations:
Place the jars, rings and lids into boiling water for 3 minutes. If I'm busy, I may just put it all inside a large pot, cover with a lid, bring it to a boil and turn off the stove as I complete other tasks. When you're ready to begin, the jars can be taken from the water and dried.
For approximately five pints:
lactobacillus in the whey isn't killed.
Once the water and salt combination is warm (and not too hot), put your spices in each jar:
3 or 4 tablespoons brine
2 tablespoons whey
1 teaspoon grape leaves (for crispness)
3/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon dried dill weed
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard seeds
With the handle of a wooden spoon (do not use metal), mix the seasonings within the jar.
Cut about three to five washed and dried cucumbers into one fourth inch slices.
Pack jars snugly, stopping one inch below the top edge of the glass. The place of the jar where the threads begin, just below the neck, is a nice stopping place.
After that, loosen the ring just a bit in order that any gas created in the course of fermentation can be released -- but not enough to allow outside air inside the jar.
For 3 to 4 days, permit the jars to sit undisturbed at room temperature.
Place the jars in cool storage.
The fermentation process generates its own vinegar taste that's pleasant without being overly harsh.
Here's a video demonstration of another variation of lacto-fermentation. This particular method takes longer and runs more of a risk of mold as it does not utilize a whey starter. However, if you wished to make a large crock of pickles, rather than just pint jars, you could do so and just add about 1/2 cup of whey (for a gallon-sized crock).
THE WAY TO MAKE WHEY
Whey can be a valued addition to almost any diet. It can enhance foods, sauces and beverages. It's also a main ingredient in lacto-fermented food preservation.
An internet search will show that many individuals cover jars with cloth or a clean paper during the making of whey. I do not. This because I'm not attempting to harness bacteria from the air. Raw milk comes neatly packaged with just the correct blend of bacteria and digestive enzymes required to make separation to occur. You need not open it to the surrounding air for this to happen. In fact, if you left raw milk in your cold box long enough, separation into curds and whey would occur within the sealed milk container. Leaving it at room temperature simply places the milk at a temperature where this happens more quickly.
Pour raw milk into a clean glass jar. Close the jar with a clean plastic lid (or coffee filter, or clean cotton cloth) and leave it undisturbed for two to three days until separation happens. You'll know the milk is separated when white solids floating in a yellowish clear liquid can be seen. The liquid is whey. The white solid is curds, also known as cream cheese.
Line a strainer with a clean cotton t-shirt (or other cotton cloth) or a coffee filter. Pour the solids and liquids into the strainer, catching the liquid in a glass bowl. When the dripping stops, store the whey in a lidded jar labeled with the date. For about six months, the whey will keep in your refrigerator.
Season the cream cheese to suit your taste, and use it in your favorite recipes.
If you don't need a lot of whey, the yellow or clear liquid that floats to the top of yogurt is whey. You can pour this off and use it in food preparation and preservation.
RECIPE FOR CREAMED DANDELION CHICKEN
In recipes, dandelion can frequently be used instead of spinach if you're looking for an effective way to incorporate this nutritious leafy green into your normal diet. If you find that dandelion leaves happen to be bitter when gathered, make sure you harvest young leaves for the best taste. Older leaves are often better employed to provide flavor in stews and also other cooked foods instead of offering them fresh in salads or teas.
This is one of my family's favorites:
CHICKEN WITH CREAMED DANDELION
Makes enough for 4 to 5 servings.
Inside a big pan warm up two cups of your best chicken stock.
Add chicken pieces,
In an additional pan, heat up and make a paste of 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil with 3 tablespoons of flour. Continuing to blend, add a half cup of fresh cream, one half cup of chicken broth and a dash of nutmeg. Continue to stir until well blended. To this, add three to four cups of young dandelion leaves, chopped.
Blend the contents of the pan until they are heated through. The leaves should begin to wilt.
This dish is great by itself, over organic brown rice or with homemade sourdough bread.
RECIPE FOR SOURDOUGH BREAD
With every loaf of sourdough bread I bake, I'm reminded of the process set into motion during creation gives us our daily bread. The book of I Kings (chapter seventeen) conveys the story of a poor widow which was able to nourish Elijah even though there was a drought. From the woman's diminishing resources, she had to reserve sufficient water and ground wheat that she might nourish her starter and maintain it despite the fact that she and her child were experiencing much shortage. She recognized that something needs to be expended to be able to ensure an increase the following day. I'm just able to imagine how wonderful her bread must have tasted.
You will need:
* Two cups kefir
* A couple of cups starter
* One fourth cup Honey
* Six cups of whole wheat flour
Place the first 5 ingredients into a big glass, plastic or wooden bowl and combine completely. One cup at a time, add the flour and blend well between each cupful. Make use of a plastic dough scraper to scrape bits of flour from the side of the bowl and merge into your dough.
Permit the dough to sit undisturbed for about five minutes after the components are combined. Fresh ground flour must have more time to soak up the liquids; therefore it is important to give it time otherwise you could possibly mistakenly think the dough is too moist. Newly milled flour can absorb more liquid than commercial, flour. The resting time permits the flour enough time to soak up the fluids. This particular recipe may result in dough that's a tad damp. There may be a need for additional flour if you are not milling it yourself.
Knead the dough for 10-15 minutes on the cutting board, drawing the dough then folding it over by hand in order to build up the gluten. When the dough is properly kneaded, it ought to be light rather than heavy or tough.
When kneaded, place the dough back into the plastic bowl and firmly seal. Allow sitting over night (8-10 hours). In the morning, punch down the dough and remove it from out of the bowl, scooping any remains away from the side with the dough scraper. Knead the dough gently and divide it into three even portions.
Brush your pans lightly using olive oil.
To shape the dough into loaves, I compress the dough in a rectangular shape and roll it along the longest side (just like a jelly roll). With the seam towards the bottom, curl the ends beneath. Place the dough in the greased bread pan, seam side down, and gently brush the top with olive oil. This particular recipe produces three small loaves for my family.
Let the pans rest in a space free of drafts for four-eight hours. I prefer to utilize my unheated oven for this purpose. Endeavor to position your pans so that they do not crowd each other. Leaving space in between the loaf pans will make it possible for hot air to circulate easily around each bread pan when you bake the loaves.
When your dough has risen approximately an inch above the edge of your bread pan, switch on your oven and heat it to three hundred fifty degrees, baking the bread for 50 minutes (or till dark brown). When you think your bread is done, use oven mitts to take out the pan and thump it on its bottom, listening for a hollowed out sound. If your bread doesn't bake in this amount of time, don't raise the temperature; just allow it to bake a little longer. Increasing the temperature could cause the exterior of the loaf to conclude baking before the inside of the loaf has had enough time to finish cooking.
KNEADING IDEAS:
Choose a surface to knead on that is the same as the level of your hips. I have found that that is a more comfortable level for kneading. A damp hand towel placed beneath the bowl or cutting board will help stop sliding. Dough that's difficult to work signifies that it's too dry and likely needs more fluid. When developed, your dough ought to be light without readily stick to the surface of your cutting board.
INFORMATION REGARDING GLUTEN DEVELOPMENT:
Using your hands, it is just about impossible to overwork the dough. If you use a machine, an excessive amount of kneading will extend the gluten too far and make it break. The gluten in flour is a lot like bubble gum. If the dough is not adequately kneaded -- or as with gum, chewed -- there is not enough stretch in the dough to support the carbon dioxide that is generated by the yeast during rising time. If it's overworked, the gluten can become fragile and break as the bread rises. Either extreme might create crumbly bread that will not maintain its form when sliced.
FOR MORE INFORMATION If you are new to sourdough bread making, you may be interested in reading more about the process here: SOURDOUGH BREADMAKING GUIDELINES
DEVELOPING A SOURDOUGH STARTER
Combine 4 tablespoons of water with six tbsp of whole grain flour in a wide-mouthed glass jar. Chlorinated water from the faucet could harm the microorganisms in the starter, which means that it is best to utilize purified water. While thoroughly mixing in order to guarantee the flour & water are well incorporated, push any bits down off of the sides of the container. Secure a protective cover on the jar loosely. This will keep out unwanted pests and shield the fresh starter from drying out. A loosely applied cover also allows gases (which result as the cultures multiply) to be released without breaking your glass.
GETTING THINGS GROWING
Allow your new starter to sit for 12 hours and then examine it to see whether you can find any bubbles by looking at the side of the glass container. If you do not observe any bubbles, stir the starter vigorously and re-cover it loosely. In twelve hours, check again for activity. Bubbles signify that organisms have begun to replicate and grow in your starter. Patiently waiting enables the organisms that depend upon each other to strengthen before you add extra material to the starter, which may separate them. Such things happen more commonly in cooler climates.
In the event you still are not seeing bubbles after a couple of days, throw away the starter and begin again with spring water (bottled) and a different variety of whole wheat flour.
APPROPRIATE FEEDING AND MAINTENANCE
Whenever your starter begins to generate bubbles, it is ready for standard feedings. Four tbsp. of water and half a dozen tablespoons of flour complete a feeding. Each twelve hours you should feed the starter. I feed mine each morning and evening. The starter should increase two-fold itself a few hours after being fed. A rubber band may be put around the outside of your vessel to tag the starter's level. This way, you are able to discover how much it goes up and how long it takes the starter to double in size. The rising time of your starter is a good indicator of the amount of time you'll need to allow your dough to rise.
A well-fed, robust starter will have a well balanced colony of microorganisms which will generate enough co2 to cause your dough to rise effectively. Much like a vegetable garden, the key to a vigorous sourdough starter is to provide it with conditions that are conducive to growth. Lactobacilli and yeast will die out without proper feedings and leave your starter prone to attack by microbes which feast upon corrosion. This is certainly something that definitely will NOT improve your bread!
When you have two cups of starter, 1/2 of it may be discarded at each feeding. By removing half, the starter will have enough room to grow, a good ratio of microbes to nutrients, and it won't become too tricky to deal with as a consequence of its volume. If you need to bake a large batch of bread at one time, you can continue feeding the starter without discarding any until you accumulate the necessary quantity. Just make sure you blend the starter vigorously at every feeding. This shuffles the microbes and allows them to gain access to additional food. Stirring is essential because the microbes are unable to relocate themselves to new feeding grounds by means of their own power.
The new starter will be ready to make bread when it accomplishes a couple of things. A minimum of four days should have went by since you began the culture, giving the microorganisms the required time to fully mature. The new starter should double in volume and produce bubbles in between feedings. Two Tbsp. of kefir will be helpful to add to the mix if your starter needs a little boost. The day before baking a loaf of bread, feed the starter 3 times: breakfast, midday and evening.
HINTS
Your starter is able to be transferred to a clean vessel should the original glass container becomes coated. One approach is to place the foodstuff in a clean jar, stirring vigorously. After that I include the contents of my starter vessel to the food, blending all of the contents well. The then empty starter vessel can be cleaned and dried out, then filled again with the culture.
In the event you cannot feed the starter for some days, or will be having a break from baking, feed the starter and store it in the refrigerator. When you wish to use it once more, remove your starter and give food to it. When the bubbles signal renewed activity, feed it three times in one day. Following this, it should be all set to use once more.
RECIPE ALTERATIONS
Any recipe using sourdough will necessitate varied rising periods than one using sourdough. Observing how much time it takes your starter to peak will tell you just how much time to allow for the modified recipe to rise.
