Mon, Jul-07-08, 09:46
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Senior Member
Posts: 5,160
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Plan: Weston A. Price, GFCF
Stats: 165/133/132
BF:?/12.7%/?
Progress: 97%
Location: Philadelphia
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The Russians make a salad dressing with beet kvass. I'm not a big fan, but you can try it yourself.
Beet Kvass
2 or 3 beets, chopped finely but not grated
1 Tbsp salt
1/4 cup starter culture
Water
Place all ingredients in a 2 quart mason jar. Fill with water and mix. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature for 2-3 days. Transfer to a cool place (35-45 degreese F).
When the liquid is almost all gone, you can refill the jar with water (I recommend adding more salt too) and start the process over. It won't be quite as strong the second time, and after that the beets are all used up.
I usually ferment the beet kvass much longer, and leave it in a cool place in the house, but don't chill it. Sometimes mold forms on the top - you can reduce this by giving it a gentle shake every few days. The mold can be safely skimmed off.
Since this is a fermented food, your diet may not allow it. But if you're curious, I'd say it's worth a try. It's supposed to be a cleansing drink that alkalizes the blood.
Starter Culture.
You can use a previous batch of beet kvass. My recipe in Nourishing Traditions says to start with whey. I don't do any dairy so I usually start with sauerkraut juice or some other leftover fermented stuff. You could probably even use lemon juice, though I've never tried it. Here's the recipe for whey:
Whey and Cream Cheese
2 quarts yogurt
Place in a 2 quart mason jar and cover tightly. Leave at room temperature for about 4 days, or until it separates. Do not shake or stir.
Place some cheese cloth in a colander or strainer over a bowl or pitcher. Pour the separated yogurt into the cheese cloth and cover. Leave for several hours. Tie the cheese cloth to a spoon or something and remove the colander. Let it drip a few more hours. Do not squeeze.
When you're done, the pitcher will contain the whey, which is high in probiotics and lactic acid. The "cream cheese" is not like regular cream cheese and you might not like it. If you don't, feed it to your animals or put it in your compost, or just throw it out. The whey will keep for about 6 months in the fridge.
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