Fermented Radishes

After successfully not making myself sick with the sauerkraut, I decided to try to ferment something else.  Actually, this came about because I hadn't been harvesting radishes, waiting to use their greens at Christmas dinner on the puff pastry.  As a result, most of the radishes I pulled that day were the size of red potatoes.  I needed something to do with them.

The first recipe in Marisa McClellan's Preserving by the Pint is these fermented radishes.  It actually makes a quart, but whatever.

What you get out of this recipe is a radish pickle.  Actually, the jar smelled just like the sauerkraut when I checked on the finished product.  Like any pickle, they can be served as a tangy garnish or on a sandwich.  Not sure what I'm going to do with a quart of them, other than use this as a learning opportunity to never let the radishes go this long again.

1-1/2 Tablespoons finely milled sea salt
2 bunches fresh radishes (about 1-1/2 lbs with the greens)

1.  Wash a wide-mouth 1 quart jar and a 1/4 pint jar.  Or, get a non-reactive quart container and something that fits in the top which has some weight to it.

2.  Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add the salt (I actually used 2 Tb kosher salt) and remove from the heat.  Stir until the salt dissolves and allow to cool to room temperature.

3.  Wash your hands well.  Wash the radishes and trim away the roots and tops.  Thinly slice the radishes into disks (I used the V-slicer on thin).  Wash your hands again, especially under the nails.  Pack the slices into the jar and cover with the cooled brine.

4.  Fit the quarter-pint jar into the mouth of the quart jar and fill with the remaining brine.  Press down so that the slices are completely submerged and the brine in the larger jar goes all the way to the top.

5.  Set the jar on a plate to catch any brine overflow.  Cover the jar contraption with a towel and secure it with a rubber band.  I used a double layer of thick paper towel.  Let sit at room temperature for 5 to 7 days, until the brine goes slightly cloudy and a sample slice tastes tart.  The color of the radishes will bleed into the brine, but there shouldn't be any mold or yeast scum in the brine itself.

6.  Once the slices are as tangy as you like, remove the smaller jar/weight.  Skim off any scum from the top of the brine and put a lid on it.  Refrigerated, the slices keep for several weeks.

Makes 1 quart

Difficulty level  π