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Fermented Fennel

Brenna May
An adaptation from Sorella's in London
Prep Time 1 hr
7 days culturing time 7 d 1 hr
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American, European, Mediterranean
Servings 16 servings

Equipment

  • 68oz Glass Jar or Crock
  • Fermenting Weight
  • Knife & Cutting Board

Ingredients
  

  • 4 fennel bulbs with stalks rinsed, bulbs quartered and cut into chunks, stalks chopped in 1/2' - 1" sections
  • 1/4 cup fermented onion brine from a previous batch
  • 2-3 cloves garlic sliced
  • 3/4 - 1 cup white wine
  • 1/2 lemon peel, pulp removed (you can use 2 halves fermented lemon rind from a batch of preserved lemons)
  • 3% salt - a little over 3 tsp per quart (I ended up using 3 3/4 Tbsp Pink Salt)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1-2 tsp Tasmanian Pepperberries
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil for the top

Instructions
 

  • Wash all vegetables and sanitize jar, fermenting weight and lid in the oven at 180 degrees for 5 minutes.
  • Wash hands and prepare vegetables. With this type of ferment I like to toss them together in a large bowl before I stuff them into the jar. Weigh the empty jar if you are adding salt by percentage. Note the weight. Add non-chlorinated water or fermenting liquid if needed.
  • Calculate salt percentage by weight and add to the jar. For my 68oz jar I used 3.75 Tbsp.
  • Cover with extra virgin olive oil to keep the bacteria out. 
  • Set in the fermenting weight, close the lid and leave to ferment for 2 weeks or longer.
Keyword cultured food, Fennel, fermented, white wine