Get your ferment on! They are so cheap and easy to make yourself. I know some folks are scared that they might screw up the process, but it really is fool-proof! Many ferments use cabbage, but I don't like to give brassicas to breastfeeding mamas because they tend to make both bellies unhappy. So, CARROTS! My friend here in Spain, Itzel, shared this recipe with me. I am inspired by her because she always has many fermented foods on hand for her family! Original recipe from makesauerkraut.com Ingredients: 2-3 large carrots 2-3 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into slivers (leave this out if you are breastfeeding and baby is sensitive to alliums) 1 teaspoon dried dill (1 tablespoon fresh) 1 tablespoon salt 2 cups non-chlorinated water Instructions:
Place garlic and dill in the bottom of a wide mouth pint (500 ml) jar, or jar size of your choosing.
PREP CARROTS. Gently scrub clean. Then, slice carrots lengthwise to just the right length (one inch shorter than the height of your jar) and snugly pack into the jar on top of your flavoring item leaving one inch of head space. If you prefer, you could also cut the carrots crosswise into disks.
MAKE BRINE. Mix 1 tablespoon of salt with 2 cups of water. Stir with a fork until somewhat dissolved. If there's some undissolved salt, don't worry, it will dissolve during fermentation.
POUR BRINE over carrots letting it percolate down. Stop when brine is 1 inch from the top of the jar. Jostle the jar to get the brine between all the packed carrots and add more brine, if necessary. Screw on lid, snugly. Label with the date.
FERMENT. Place in a shallow bowl on your kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight to ferment until active bubbling stops, usually 7-10 days depending upon the temperature of your room Feel free to taste them. The carrots are ready when bubbles have stopped rising to the surface, there is a slightly sour aroma and the carrots taste tangy.
STORE. Add the fermentation length to your label and put in the refrigerator. Your fermented carrots may be eaten immediately, but will increase in flavor with time and will keep for up to a year, though they lose color as the months go on.
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