Author Notes
Lately, I have been captivated by lacto-fermented pickling. The history is pretty convincing. I have been appreciating why I love kimchi so much. I now realize that my grandmother made sauerkraut using this method for decades. So I am experimenting wildly with different combinations and cuts. This recipe is a variation on a plain rhubarb recipe which Sharon Kane has developed using horseradish or Swiss chard leaves on top. Here I am combining rhubarb with ginger (some with beets) with grape leaves. Two weeks later these came out really well I am happy to report! —Sagegreen
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Ingredients
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2
sterilized pint jars with caps
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2
sterilized stones
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1 quart
filtered water
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1 1/2 tablespoons
sea salt
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@ 10
tender young stalks of rhubarb less than 1" thick, cut into small pieces
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@ 2 cups
small, thin matchstick-cut yellow beets with some carrots mixed in, or just 10 more rhubard stalks as above
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2
inch nub of ginger (cut into thin coins, quarter size, then sliced)
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1
stalk of lemongrass cut into 8 two inch pieces
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1/2 teaspoon
whole coriander
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1 tablespoon
orange peel
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stack of washed wild grape leaves
Directions
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Boil the jars with lids for at least 5 minutes. Boil three clean stones for 10 minutes. Set aside.
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Boil the water for the brine. After it cools a bit, add the salt. Stir until it dissolves. Let this brine cool for at least 2 hours. You will have some left for other pickling projects.
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When the brine is cool, begin to pack about 2 inches of the sliced rhubarb in the bottom of the jars. Tamp down gently using a wooden tool, leaving some air space. Next add about an inch of the yellow beets (or more rhubarb); tamp down. Finish with rhubarb. Or you can layer using all rhubarb if you prefer. Divide and stick the lemon grass pieces in each jar. Divide the ginger, coriander, and orange peel between the jars. Crown with a small wad of grape leaves in each. Add the stone on top in each jar. Push down. Pour the cooled brine into the jars. Tamp down. Pour in more brine. Allow an inch of head room in each jar after pushing down. Put on the cap loosely. Let this sit for 3 days at about 70 degrees. If this gets too bubbly, open to release and reseal. Refrigerate after 3 days. Test in two weeks to see if these taste like pickles yet. Use after they do. Store covered in the fridge for 2 months (conservatively).
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