Fermenting isn't just for dairy: Curtido, or Latin "sauerkraut"

As I mentioned in my kefir post, once you start fermenting dairy, you've entered into whole other world of local-hippie-whole food.  Fermenting a few veggies to create the Latin relish curtido was the next logical step.  From what I can tell, the recipe I used most closely resembles the Salvadoran version of this common condiment.  I adapted the recipe from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.  Who would have thought fermenting your own veggies would be so easy?  Again, as far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on whether probiotics are a panacea or not, but at least they taste darn good.

Salvadoran Curtido (a la Nourishing Traditions)


1.  Shred 1/2 to 3/4 of a full green cabbage, grate about 1 cup's worth of carrots, and finely slice half of a large red onion from pole to pole.  Combine in a large bowl.

2.  To the bowl of veggies, combine a tbsp of kosher salt, a 1-2 tsp of dried oregano, and a big pinch of crushed red pepper.  Add 4 tbsp of whey (I strained out some from an over-fermented batch of kefir).

3.  Do some light stretching, then smash all the veggies to extract their water.  It should take about 10 minutes worth of smashing.  You could use a meat tenderizer, or do like I did, and grind them with a pint glass.  I believe Alton Brown would call that a multi-tasker.

After ten minutes, and switching arms a few times, it should looks like this:

4.  Transfer the veggies and liquid into a very clean quart-size jar with a lid.  Pack down the veggies so that they are completely submerged by the fermenting liquid.  This is important, because from what I've read, failure to do this may lead to spoilage (growth of the bad rather than the good bugs).  Make sure that there is at least an inch from the top of the jar to prevent explosions.  Cover and leave at room temperature for 72 hours, then transfer to the fridge.  The curtido will improve with time in the fridge.  I finished mine within two weeks, and it was great until the end.  Not sure how much longer it would last.

I let mine ferment with its friends...

When it's finished, it will look something like this:

Tangy, flavorful, and spicy.  A bit too strong on it's own, but it is incredible with the richness of meat.  Especially with my almost-daily burger:

Unintentional paleo...

Here's to good bacteria, in milk and in veggies.

Frittata Dinner

I've been a bit slow on my food posting the past couple of weeks.  I've been eating plenty of good food, but just haven't gotten around to sharing it.  Here's another farmers market dish that is also low in  carbohydrates: market vegetable and cheese frittata.  It's rich enough for a meatless meal.  The recipe was inspired by a dish at the Food Network.

Market Vegetable and Goat Cheese Frittata
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  You will need a 10-12 inch ovenproof skillet.


1.  Whisk 8 eggs with 2 tbsp heavy cream and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.  Add a big pinch of kosher salt, and some fresh pepper.

2.  Wash and cut 2 cups of fresh spinach.  Slice 2 scallions.  Crumble 5 ounces of fresh goat cheese.  Prepare or grab 1/2 cup of shredded parmesan cheese.

3.  Sauté about 15 thin asparagus stalks (about one bunch from the market) in 2 tbsp of olive oil for 2 minutes.  Remember to cut the asparagus so that you reserve the tenderest part.  Season while cooking.

4.  While the asparagus is sautéing, combine spinach, scallions, and cheese into egg mixture.  Stir to combine.  Remove pan from heat, and add egg-veggie mixture.  Place on middle rack of the preheated oven.  Bake for 20 minutes.

5.  Have a light summer cocktail on the porch.  (White wine, shot of Aperol, slice of lime, all over ice)

6.  The frittata is finished when the middle is just-cooked and the edges are lightly browned.  I believe it is traditional to flip the frittata out of the pan and onto a plate, but hey, it's good no matter what side you call top.

7.  While the Frittata is cooling, prepare tomato salad for topping.  Slice two ripe tomatoes and dice 2-3 tbsp of garlic chives.  Combine with a bit of olive oil, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper.

8.  Serve a slice of frittata and top it with the tomato salad.  Serve with a side salad; we chose caesar.

A great way to enjoy some market eggs.  Eggs that come from chickens that do things like this:

Quick eats: bison burgers and beets

Just wanted to quickly share a meal that I had over the weekend:  grilled bison burgers and veggies.  Again, I love buying meat from the farmers market, but sometimes the cuts just aren't what I wanted them to be.  The ground bison had nice flavor, but it's excruciatingly lean.  I would prefer grass-fed beef - lean but not too lean.  I ended up adding some melted butter to the meat before making the patties in order to give it a fat boost.  And I took care to not cook them past medium!

Grilled veggies are always fantastic.  I'm clearly getting my asparagus fix over the spring while it's fresh.  I also roasted some golden beets and drizzled them with olive oil.  Whether red or golden, beats can really make a meal pop.  Look out Food Network.

Easy Roasted Beets:

1. Remove greens.  Wash and scrub beets thoroughly.
2. Place beets on a large sheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with oil, and fold aluminum foil so that it creates a packet (make sure the edges are sealed to ensure steaming).  It will look like someone tried to awkwardly wrap up loose tennis balls as a gift.
3. Roast at 350 degrees F for 1 hour, or until you can pierce with a knife.
4. When cool enough to handle, peel the beets by rubbing them into a towel or wad of paper towels.
5. Salt, pepper, olive oil, and serve.

A great new soup

Thai Ginger Carrot Soup

Last night, the girlfriend and I tried out a new soup.  I got the recipe from The Table of Promise.  Please check out her blog for the recipe.  Carrots and some flavorings are simmered until soft, blended, and then coconut milk is added to make it nice and creamy.  A unique tasting and delicious soup for the repertoire.

A new farmers market started in downtown Orange this Saturday, so we were able to pick up some fresh ingredients for our dinner.  We had margaritas with chips and guacamole for starters, and soup and salad for dinner.