Make this garlic paste and you’ll conveniently have prepped garlic on hand at all times. Be your own sous chef! Plus you’ll benefit from a dose of good bacteria with every delectable spoonful.
I’m very excited to post this recipe here. It comes from the 10th anniversary edition of the best-selling book, Fermented Vegetables, by Kirsten K. Shockey and Christopher Shockey, two of the fermentation movement’s most respected teachers.
This completely revised edition includes 65 creative new recipes, new techniques, profiles of producers from around the world, updated information in the exciting realm of gut research and more. Eating fermented foods can boost our gut health, which affects our overall health and even our mood. If you’ve wanted to try fermenting vegetables at home but don’t know where to start, start with this beautiful book—and the recipe down below!
The recipe calls for 6 to 8 heads of garlic, not mere cloves. Once the ferment is ready, you’ll thank yourself for having peeled all of that garlic. If you like, speed up the task with a humble mason jar (jars solve so many kitchen dilemmas). In batches, place several cloves in the jar, close and shake. The cloves should pop right out of their skins.
Book Giveaway!
The Shockey’s publisher will give away a copy of this wonderful book to one of you (or someone on Facebook, where I will also post this). If you live in the US and would like to be considered, please leave a comment below before Monday, March 11th, 2024 at midnight Pacific Time. I will randomly pick one winner from all the entries on here and Facebook.
Garlic Paste
yield: about 1 pint (473 ml)
technique used: Pastes (page 76)
You’ll want to have this paste on hand year-round. When you don’t feel like peeling and mincing fresh cloves, the paste adds instant garlic flavor to any dish. Fair warning: Plan on peeling time. It’s worth the effort, as the paste is invaluable for convenience. We love it mixed with a little fresh parsley and tossed with fresh homemade oven fries just before serving.
- 6–8 heads garlic, cloves separated and peeled
- 2 teaspoons (11 g) unrefined salt
1. Process the garlic to a paste consistency in a food processor. This paste has a sticky, thick, gooey consistency (which makes it easier to keep it submerged). Sprinkle in the salt. Not much will change after salting, which makes it difficult to distinguish the brine. Don’t worry—the fermentation will work. Note: If available, add 1–2 tablespoons of fermented brine. This will add a little juice and jump-start the process. Do not add water.
2. Press the paste into a quart jar. More liquid will release as you press, and you should now see a little brine. If using the burping method (page 44), make sure there is little headspace, top with a round of parchment paper, and weight if you have one, then seal the lid tightly. Watch the lid for pressure building up. With this recipe you may never need to burp, or at most just once. Alternatively, top the paste with a quart-size ziplock bag. Press the bag down onto the top of the ferment, then fill it with water and seal.
3. Set the jar in a spot where you can keep an eye on it, out of direct sunlight, and let ferment for 14 to 21 days, or longer. The garlic will turn darker the longer it ferments. It is caramelizing. When fermented, it will be milder than when it was raw and have some acidity.
4. To store, tamp down the paste to make sure it is submerged in its brine, press a fresh round of parchment paper directly on top, and seal the jar with its lid. This paste will keep, refrigerated, for 1 year or more.
Excerpted from Fermented Vegetables, 10th Anniversary Edition© by Kirsten K. Shockey & Christopher Shockey, used with permission from Storey Publishing.
