This recipe is inspired by the Za'atar Spiced Vegetables in The Farmhouse Culture Guide to Fermenting. The minute I read through the book's index I knew this was a must make. Fermented vegetables and za'atar are two of my favorite things. Putting them together was too good to pass up!
My veggie selection was based on what needed to be used in the refrigerator: carrots, beets and onions. The beets took over the brine color and the onions really come forward in the end flavor. The original recipe suggests using cauliflower as the base and I'm absolutely going to follow that next time. The recipe below shows the vegetable proportions in the original recipe with my spice alternations.
Makes 1/2 Gallon
Tools:
- 3 bowls (small, medium, large)
- kitchen scale
- 1/2 gallon fermentation vessel with fermentation lid
- weights
Ingredients:
- 970 milliliters distilled or spring water
- 30 grams SKORDO Maine Sea Salt
- 500 grams cauliflower florets
- 270 grams sliced carrots
- 100 grams thinly sliced yellow onions
- 30 grams Syrian Za'atar
- 100 milliliters kraut brine
Directions:
- Wash and sanitize all the fermentation equipment including bowls, knives and cutting board. Set all aside to dry before use.
- Make the salt brine by bringing 300 milliliters of water to just under a boil. Remove the water from heat and add the salt. Stir until the salt has dissolved and add the remaining water to cool the brine. Set aside to continue cooling as you prep the vegetables.
- In a large bowl combine the vegetables and toss with Syrian Za'atar. Be sure to evenly coat the vegetables with the spices. Transfer the spiced vegetables to the fermentation jar and pour the kraut brine into the jar. Add the brine being sure to leave 2 inches of headspace. Reserve any extra brine for later use.
- Place the weights on top the vegetables, ensuring they all stay below the brine surface. Seal the jar with the fermentation lid and place the jar in a bowl to catch any expelled liquid.
- Ferment the vegetables in a cool, dark place for three weeks. Keep an eye on the brine levels and fill with reserved brine as needed. Test the vegetables after two weeks to gauge flavor and tartness. If they're not sour enough, reseal and let the vegetables ferment for another week. Once you're happy with the flavor, transfer to a fresh container or reseal with a regular lid and refrigerate for up to 6 months.