Fermented Pico de Gallo

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It’s April and by all signs, like the snow outside and the cold temperatures these past few days, NOT tomato season. My decision to post this blog might surprise some of you, but I received a request for a fermented salsa recipe. Honestly, besides zuké pickled things, there is no other condiment I crave more than salsa. Daily. Thanks for prodding me Aaron!

So where do you get organic tomatoes in our temperate zone this time of year? Circle Fresh Farms organic tomatoes are available at Whole Foods Markets on the front range of Colorado. Circle Fresh is a network of 10 small farms working together to grow produce locally.

This is a simple recipe, and one that has a lot of flexibility, too. It can be spicy or mild, red or green (tomatillos), garlicky or garlic-free.

Fermented Tomato Salsa
Ingredients:

  • 2.5-3 lbs of tomatoes of choice
  • 1-2 onions (yellow, white, or red)
  • Fresh Cilantro to taste (I use 1/2 cup or more)
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 2-3 limes, juiced
  • 2 TBSP celtic salt
  • Spices to taste ( I use salt & pepper only, but cumin, oregano, or powdered chili could be added)
  • Peppers (sweet or spicy…I use jalapeno but sweet peppers work well too if you don’t like spicy!)

photo by Joe Baran

 

Directions:

  • Chop tomatoes, peppers, onion and cilantro (garlic if you decide to use it)
  • Toss all ingredients into large bowl
  • Add the citrus juice
  • Add salt & pepper (other spices at this time, if you like)
  • Pour into quart or half gallon size mason jars and cap
  • Leave on the counter for approximately 2 days
  • After fermentation is complete, store in refrigerator for up to 9 months

photo by Joe Baran

 

photo by Joe Baran

Some fermented salsa recipes include whey, but I do not use it when I ferment salsa. In our home, we enjoy salsa on just about anything. This recipe is an alternative for putting up your tomatoes in the fall, when so many are available either from our home gardens or the farmers’ markets.

The vibrant colors of the salsa makes me want to eat it immediately, but I will wait a couple of days! Buen provecho!

photo by Joe Baran

 

photo by Joe Baran

Zuké Salad Dressing

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From the kitchen of our favorite foodie about town, Michelle Auerbach:

Feeling springy?  Feeling cleansy?  Feeling the need to eat all the greens that popped up at the Farmer’s Market this week?  Want to add your Zuké to a salade composée?  Here is the dressing and the salad for you.

Carolyn’s THE DRESSING

3 inch piece of fresh ginger grated

3 cloves of garlic

6 inch piece of turmeric peeled and chopped

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 lemons juiced

3 Tablespoons of tamari

2 Tablespoons raw honey

½ teaspoon sea salt

 

Place all the ingredients in a blender.  Blend until smooth.

 

For the salad, I bought one bag of lettuce from Oxford Gardens, one bunch of carrots from Cure farms, I had some tofu in the fridge I had friend up yesterday in coconut oil, and some steamed asparagus.  To this I added a heaping ton of Zuké beets, dulse, & kale.  The key to a salade composée, or a composed salad, is to make it look appealing on the plate, with drizzles of this and jots of that in contrasting and vibrant colors.  Use whatever you happen to have in the fridge including but not limited to cooked potatoes, chicken any way, steamed veggies, salmon, tempeh, good raw milk cheese, green beans, snow peas, really anything that catches your eye.

 

The key, though, is the combination of the grated beets and the salad dressing with some lettuce to catch the juices.

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Ancient Family Recipe with pickled things

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Erika’s ‘ancient family recipe’ wowed my palate at a potluck dinner recently. It was a tender brisket served over gluten free pasta. Although she brought other delicious food, it was the brisket that left a lasting memory. Several of us topped the dish off with some citrus & ginger pickled things. It was divine, and so delicious that I was caught scraping the pan clean with my fingers at the end of the night. I had to have that recipe!

As soon as I got my hands on her ancient family recipe, I thawed my Lasater Grasslands brisket and prepared a feast of my own. Because this beef dish is slow cooked, you should plan ahead.  However, the simplicity of the recipe is a time saving way to prepare a hearty meal for your family or a gathering. In fact, the original recipe recommends preparing it ahead of time, refrigerating, and reheating before serving. Yipee!

Brisket with Citrus & Ginger
Ingredients:

Directions:
Heat over to 350°. Brown brisket on all sides (I actually cheated, and did not do this part) Place meat in a large baking dish, arrange onions on top. Combine chile sauce & water, pour around meat. Bake, covered, allowing about 45 min. per pound. Baste meat occasionally (I didn’t do this part either-call me lazy). About 45 min. before meat is done, add beer, continue to cook until done.
Serve with noodles and top with citrus & ginger pickled things

The recipe calls for chile sauce, and one of the best chile sauces I know is available at The Bit & Spur Restaurant & Saloon in Springdale, Utah – just outside Zion National Park (available by mail order too). Their chile sauce is a sweet & smoky chipotle pepper ketchup they call ‘Red Chile Ketchup’. The rich tomato taste and zesty undertones make it a great marinade, as well as a satisfying dipping sauce. Visit the Lasater Grasslands Beef website for their monthly sales, and get yourself a case of Red Chile Ketchup so that you too can enjoy Erika’s ancient family recipe!