kohlrabi miso pickle & a call to jars

look:


i picked some wild flowers for you. i hope you like them.
they are growing wildly in our field! gah!

i don't know if you noticed, but there is more canning flurry on the web than ever before!

the most exciting news on the home-canning scene IMO has already stirred what appears to be nothing short of a revolution - that's right folks - it's a canvolution! masterminded by kim o'donnel after a mere suggestion and a tweeting frenzy, it is a call to jars on the weekend of august 29th & 30th. kim proposes that all across america we gather together for some canvivial jamming, pickling and canning! more on this wonderful concept at cans across america!

so if you have been intrigued by all of this preservation talk as of late, join a group near you, or stay tuned in, i am sure there will be much posting of wonderful pics, recipes and how to's after the weekend!

still a little wary about canning? ... all that boiling water, etc. i know, i know...
it's a lot of pressure.

well i am going to let you in on a little secret: there are many different ways to pickle a vegetable! so while your contemplating your whereabouts on the weekend of august 29th & 30th. let's whet your appetite with a little fermented flavor!

this technique of using fermented soy paste, meaning miso, to pickle vegetables is very common in japan. these types of pickles are eaten at almost every meal in traditional japanese cooking. sometimes as a last course with tea.

for this i've used mostly kohlrabi and a little bit of turnip. this pickle is great with rice, and perhaps a grilled fish if you are so inclined.



kohlrabi miso pickle
adapted from the joy of pickling by linda zeidrich

1 pound kohlrabi (or turnips, or both) peeled and sliced to a 1/4 inch
1/2 cup miso - red, white, or a mixture of both. white has a mellower flavor
some cheese cloth
two dinner plates and some plastic cling

1. stir the miso and divide in half, spread the first half on a plate to cover.

2. lay a piece of cheese cloth over the miso. very important: the cheese cloth needs to be big enough to tuck firmly under the plate.

3. place the sliced kohlrabi on the cheese cloth, and then place the second piece of cheese cloth over the kohlrabi, again it needs to be cut big enough to tuck firmly under the plate.

4. now here is where it can get a little messy: spread the rest of the miso over the cheesecloth.
you may end up having to use your fingers to do this if the cheesecloth is getting squirmy.

that's ok.

5. cover the whole thing with cling wrap. place this plate on top of another plate and make sure
all of the layers are tucked in under first plate.

6. place in fridge for 3 days..then enjoy!



ok, i know they're not the most photogenic little buggers, but they taste so good!

and the good news is, it gets even easier because you can save the whole concoction and place another 2 rounds of veggies in there!

now get picklin' folks!