MITCH IN THE KITCHEN

pickled fall vegetables

I was brainstorming things to have around as snacks in the stomach-gurgling hours before Thanksgiving dinner (oh yes, I am hosting a family Thanksgiving again). I came up with a lot of cheese. And bread and crackers. And spiced nuts. But I needed something to provide a little relief from such things. Something… pickled, it turns out. So I went on a long stroll through the Union Square greenmarket and picked up a few things that caught my eye: carrots of all colors, green cauliflower, a bulb of fennel, a small orb of kohlrabi, and celery that I need for other stuff anyway. The carrots and cauliflower were lightly blanched before going in the jars with everything else. The brine consists of apple cider vinegar, water, salt, sugar, garlic, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, and black peppercorns. They will hang out in the fridge until Turkey Day (which will be celebrated with pork chez Mitch and John, actually). As long as these taste okay and don’t contain botulinum toxin (don’t worry family, they don’t), I think Thanksgiving will start out quite nicely.

pickled rat-tail radishes

Rat-tail radishes are the seed pods of a radish plant, rather than the familiar round-ish or finger-shaped pink and white roots. The pods taste mellower than the roots, and their texture reminds me of a stringier string bean. I get a few branches of these pods every summer through my CSA. In the past, they were relegated to the back of the crisper drawer, and I’d chop up a few at a time as an afterthought to whatever salad. Eh, boring.

This time around, I stuffed the pods into a jar of pickling liquid (hot water, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, yellow mustard seeds, black peppercorns, red chili flakes… exact quantities have been forgotten) and let them hang out in the fridge while I was in Hawaii. A few weeks later, ta-da! I nibble on a few every night while making dinner.

Previous pickling experiences:
spicy radish roots and carrots
exploding kimchi

spicy pickled radishes and carrots

You know what’s really good? Those pickled carrots with radishes and jalapeños that you find at legit Mexican restaurants. That, along with this, led me to a sweet and tangy jar of Asian-ish pickled carrots with radishes and hot peppers. Cute side note: my parents always have a jar of pickled jalapeños in the fridge; they put it on beef noodle soup sometimes.

1/2 cup hot water
1/2 cup rice vinegar (not the seasoned kind)
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
12-15 small radishes
3 small carrots
1/2 small red onion (full disclosure: I forgot to add this. oops.)
1 small serrano or jalapeño pepper

Pour hot water, vinegar, salt, and sugar into a small (1 pint) jar. Stir to dissolve sugar and salt.

Slice radishes, carrots, onion, and pepper into 1/8-inch thick slices. Add to jar. Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 days before eating.

I put them on some Asian-ish chicken tacos for dinner tonight (meat marinade: chipotle, adobo from the can, soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, garlic, ginger). I’ve yet to visit this Kogi truck that got all famous, but so far, I’m a fan of the idea.

napa cabbage kimchi

During the course of my Food Microbiology course, I was inspired to see some natural fermentation take place in my own home. Kimchi, a spicy pickled Korean condiment commonly made with napa cabbage, employs the services of naturally present bacteria to give it that characteristic tangy, pungent aroma. In summary, I put a bunch of stuff in a jar and let the microbes go to town. In detail, I did the following:

1. Remove the outer leaves on 1 small head of napa cabbage. Rinse under cold water to remove any dirt. Cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into three equally sized wedges (for a total of 6 pieces).

2. Dissolve 1/2 cup kosher salt (or other coarse salt) in about 3-4 quarts of water, in a large bowl. Add cabbage and place a plate on top to keep each piece submerged. Let the cabbage soak for 2 hours at room temperature, then rinse and squeeze out as much water as you can.

3. Shred 1 small daikon radish, mince 1/2 head of garlic, peel and mince a 1-inch piece of ginger, chop 3 scallion stalks. Combine in a large bowl with 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1/4 cup Korean chili powder*, and 1 teaspoon sugar (science note: the sugar “feeds” the friendly microbes, who produce mostly lactic acid). Add napa cabbage, and toss to coat evenly. I recommend wearing disposable latex gloves for this part, lest you find yourself with painfully tingly fingers (that might wander to your eyes, nose, and other sensitive body parts. ahem).

4. Stuff everything inside a 1-quart mason jar, and seal. Leave the jar in a cool, dark part of the kitchen. Wait about 2 days, and check for bubbling inside the jar. This is evidence of fermentation, as certain species of bacteria produce carbon dioxide. If there aren’t any bubbles, give it another day. Once bubbles are present, the kimchi is ready to eat. Store it in the refrigerator, where it will continue to ripen (ferment) slowly.

Now, I said and read that the jar should be checked after 2 days. Wanna know what might happen if you forget and wait ‘til the 3rd day? A loud popping sound, followed by the discovery of a freshly misshapen lid. Once I opened the jar (in the sink of course), there was a mini-eruption of carbonated garlicky juice, followed by loud groans and sighs. Thankfully, there was no significant loss of ready-to-eat kimchi. Enjoy it on its own, or add it to noodles, Korean-style flour and egg pancakes, dumplings, fried rice, or hot dogs (instead of sauerkraut). Ooh, or some kind of Asian-fusion reuben sandwich.

*Can be found at Kalustyan’s on Lexington and 28th Street, or at Korean grocery stores. For example, the one on 33rd Street between 5th and 6th Avenue in Manhattan. Thank you David Cho.