While waiting impatiently for my new work contract to begin, I have been keeping busy in my favourite way: harvesting the last winter crops from my garden and working out how to turn them into delicious delights in my kitchen.
A motley crew of turnips and carrots
I spent a few hours last week experimenting with fermenting and pickling a colourful basket of root vegetables and herbs from the garden including purple top and gold ball turnips, lunar white, purple and orange carrots, golden and bull’s blood beetroot and dill . I bought some mild radishes and daikon to add to the mix and made these combinations:
- Vegetable #1
- Purple, white and orange carrots, radish (cut into small chunks)
- Dill seed and leaf, black peppercorns
- Salt brine (50g: 1L ratio)
- Vegetable #2
- Purple, white and orange carrots (cut into strips with a mandolin)
- Beetroot
- Juniper berries, black peppercorns, dill seed and leaf, garlic
- Brine
- Picke #1
- Beetroot, carrot, ginger
- Dill leaf and seed, black peppercorns
- 1/2c vinegar
- 1c water
- 2tsp honey
- 1tsp salt
- Pickle #2 – Vietnamese Daikon and Carrot Pickles (Đồ Chua)
- 1 cup rice vinegar (or white vinegar)
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 pound mixed daikon and carrots (julienne)
- Salt
I have yet to taste any of them so perhaps that’s the inspiration I need for dinner tonight. Something Vietnamese perhaps?
