Back to Butter: A Traditional Foods Cookbook - Nourishing Recipes Inspired by Our Ancestors (28 page)

After fermentation, fully stir the vinegar into the jar and refrigerate. Because vinegar slows the fermentation process, it is added after the 3-day ferment.

YIELD: 1 PINT (350 G)

Simply Mayonnaise

If you’re ready to take on only one homemade condiment, make it mayonnaise! I know of only one commercial variety that’s reputable, and it’s only available by mail order (
page 217
). Store-bought varieties are made with refined oils and thickening agents, but even more important, why aren’t their mayonnaises yellow? It’s made from egg yolks, for goodness’ sake.

2 egg yolks, at room temperature

2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice

1
/
2
teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

3
/
4
cup (180 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1/8 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper

1
/
4
teaspoon celery seed

1 tablespoon (15 ml) whey (
page 40
), optional

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, and sea salt. Process until combined, about 30 seconds. While the motor is running, stream the olive oil through the food processor shoot drop by drop. It is important that the oil be added very slowly, allowing each addition to fully combine and emulsify before adding the next. Once
1
/
2
cup (120 ml) of the oil has been added, oil may be added at a slightly increased speed.

Once all the oil has been incorporated, stir in the pepper celery seed, and whey, if using. If whey has been added, store in a sealed Mason jar for 7 hours at room temperature before transferring to the refrigerator. Lacto-fermentation will add probiotic benefits and extend shelf life. If not adding whey, refrigerate immediately.

Chill thoroughly before use; mayonnaise will thicken as it chills. The whey-less version may be stored in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks; the lacto-fermented version will keep for 2 months or more in the fridge.

YIELD:
3
/
4
CUP (170 G)

RECIPE NOTE

• Shop for an extra-virgin olive oil that is light and buttery. If the flavor is too strong, unrefined sunflower oil can be a suitable substitute.

• The key to this recipe is to very slowly drizzle in the olive oil. To make this step easy, notice the food processor chute insert has a small hole in the bottom. Simply fill with oil and watch it drip slowly.

• Sweet Mayonnaise Variation: Add 1 tablespoon (15 g) Sweet Pickle Relish (
page 173
) and 2 tablespoons (40 g) raw honey and whisk to combine.

Red Cabbage Kraut with Fresh Dill

Ultimately, fermented foods, such as kraut (a.k.a. sauerkraut), should be eaten with every meal in order to properly assist digestion. Although this recipe may be eaten after a week of room-temperature fermentation, the kraut is best when allowed to continue to slowly ferment in the refrigerator for one or two additional months. The longer it ferments, the more probiotics infuse and break down this living food!

1 medium head red cabbage

1
/
4
cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh dill and/or 1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon sea salt

1
/
2
cup (120 ml) water

Pull off and set aside one outer leaf of the red cabbage. Using a knife, roughly chop the cabbage into approximately 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces, resulting in 6 cups (420 g) loosely packed chopped cabbage, a perfect amount to fit in a 1-quart (1 L) Mason jar. If the cabbage yields too much, simply store the excess for another use.

Divide the cabbage into 2 batches and, in the bowl of a food processer fitted with the traditional blade attachment, finely chop, scraping down the sides as necessary. Once processed, combine both batches in a large-size wooden or stainless steel bowl. Add the lemon juice, dill (and/or garlic), and sea salt. Toss well with a spatula to combine.

Using your fists, the blunt top of a meat mallet, or a wooden pounder, pound the cabbage mixture for about 10 minutes, until a generous amount of juice is released. Pour the water over the top of the cabbage and toss well with a spatula to combine.

Pack the mixture into a 1-quart (1 L) Mason jar that has been cleaned thoroughly with hot, soapy water. A wide-mouth canning funnel aids this process. Press the cabbage down into the jar firmly with your fist, a spoon, or a pounder until the juices rise above the cabbage. Check to make sure the top of the cabbage is at least 1
1
/
2
inches (3.8 cm) below the top of the jar. If not, remove some. Clean the rim of the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel.

YIELD: 1 QUART (568 G)

Rinse the reserved cabbage leaf, and with kitchen shears, cut from the leaf a circle slightly larger than the circumference of the jar. Push the circle down into the jar, covering the shredded cabbage. Gently press down, allowing a bit of juice to flow over the top of the cabbage leaf. The leaf edges will rest against the edges of the jar and seal in the cabbage.

Cover and place in a shaded space at room temperature for 1 week. After 1 week, transfer to the refrigerator for 1 to 2 (optional) months.

The kraut may be eaten after 1 week of fermentation. Remove the lid and discard the cabbage leaf. If any mold sits on the top of the cabbage, scoop off and discard. A thin layer of mold does not mean the batch has spoiled. Start with a teaspoon of kraut with each meal, working up to a tablespoon or more to suit your body.

RECIPE NOTE

Quality sea salt (
page 216
) still contains the micronutrients of the sea, which are refined away from conventional table salt. Sea salt also encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria needed for proper fermentation and controls the growth of the bad microorganisms. Refined table salt contains additives that inhibit this natural fermentation process. Sea salt is best!

CHAPTER 12
BREAD & BREAKFAST

BUTTER IS BACK! And, we’d like to give you something good on which to spread it. My mom and I are as much alike as we are different, but there’s one constant: a true love of real, grass-fed butter spread thickly across a warm slice of authentic sourdough bread.

Every cook needs a basic muffin recipe that can be whipped up in a pinch or used as a jumping-off point for any number of variations. Below is our offering to your traditional kitchen. Go wild!

1
/
2
cup (112 g) butter

1
/
2
cup (160 g) raw honey

3 cups (360 g) fresh-milled, sprouted whole wheat pastry flour (
page 55
)

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 egg, beaten

1 cup (235 ml) buttermilk (
page 44
)

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Line 18 standard muffin cups with paper liners.

Combine the butter and honey in a small-size saucepan over medium heat, heating until just melted. Stir and set aside to cool.

In a large-size bowl, combine the flour, sea salt, baking soda, and baking powder, whisking briefly. In a separate bowl, add the egg to the buttermilk and whisk to combine. Add the honey mixture and buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients, whisking until just blended.

Using a large-size cookie scoop, fill each muffin cup three-fourths full. Bake for 13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.

YIELD: 18 MUFFINS

RECIPE NOTE

• Try adding your favorite fruit to this recipe, such as blueberries or chopped peaches or pears! We recommend adding a total of 1 cup (150 g) to the final batter. Or, add a warm spike of flavor with 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or vanilla extract.

• Using a stoneware muffin pan will add 2 minutes to the baking time.