By: Chef Laura Bonicelli
Preserving food with fermentation is an ancient process. Like canning and pickling, it’s easy to do in your home kitchen.
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about Tangy Fermented Red Salsa
Fermented foods have significant health benefits; the good bacteria in fermented foods produce antioxidants (Antioxidants counter the effects of free radicals, which experts believe play a role in a wide variety of illnesses, including cancer and chronic inflammation) and are rich in probiotics, so good for your gut. Fermented foods may also produce compounds that lower blood sugar.
Health benefits aside, I love this recipe because it’s wonderful to have a great salsa on-hand. It’s the perfect condiment, from scrambled eggs to your favorite lunch salad. If you want more heat, switch to a Serrano or hotter pepper. I love the oregano, but if you don’t, chives or more cilantro or basil is delicious as well.
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Looking for some other delicious recipes to pair with your salsa? Try these recipes:
Mexican Skillet Black Bean Hash with Eggs
Step by Step Instructions
Tangy Fermented Red Salsa
Ingredients
- 3 pounds ripe tomatoes diced
- 1 yellow onion minced
- 1 jalapeño pepper minced - for more heat add more or use a hotter chili
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
- 3 roasted tomatillos chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl or container, combine the tomatoes with juice with the rest of the ingredients.
- Pour the salsa into quart or half-gallon glass jars with a clamp lid with a rubber gasket. Alternatively, you can cover the jars with a muslin cloth or a coffee filter and secure them with a rubber band. If you're using clamp lids, release the lid once a day to release pressure from the fermentation.
- Set the jars on your countertop out of the sun. Fermentation can take two to four days (longer if the room temperature is below 72ºF.) Warmer temperature speeds fermentation. After the 2nd day, taste the salsa. When the salsa reaches the desired taste and tang, seal the jars and put them into the refrigerator. You can allow fermentation for up to 6 days (I usually do 5). The salsa will keep for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Fermented Cucumber (Pickles)
Ingredients
- 12 ounces baby cucumbers up to a pound
- 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 6 sprigs fresh dill
- 2 Fresno chilies halved lengthwise
- 1 clove garlic halved
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- 2 cups room temperature filtered water
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Place the cucumbers, coriander, dill, chilies, and garlic in a quart jar.
- Combine the water and salt, stirring until salt dissolves completely.
- Pour the water into the jar to cover the cucumbers, leaving about 1/2 inch of space between the liquid and the top of the jar. Add water to cover all solids. Cover the jars loosely with a lid. Let stand in a cool, dry place - away from direct sunlight - for 5 to 7 days. The liquid will turn cloudy, then bubble and fizz after several days as it develops lactic acid. Once fermented, refrigerate pickles for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
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