Fermented Antipasto

Fermented Antipasto 

Try Pre-Cut & Washed Veggies 

for Time Saving Pickles

Antipasto-bilities

Antipasto is a catchall term from Italian cuisine meaning "before the pasta" or before the main course. It has morphed into a starter course which may have a long or short list of fermented and raw veggies, cured meats, cheeses, baked goods. Antipasto fires up the digestion and sparkles on the tongue.
There are many ways to present antipasto and it lends itself well to a variety of fermented vegetables as you will see. This will be a great opportunity to learn from our basic antipasto that you can tweak into cultural gems from anywhere in the world. Just switch out of a vegetable and a spice and you are enjoying the mysteries of India, Italy, Mexico, and other great cuisines. And it's easy-peasy!

Supermarket Prepping Speeds Up Your Pickling

Quicker pickling is now at your supermarket! In refrigerated produce are packaged, cleaned and pre-cut veggies. When time is at a premium, grab some bags and in a few minutes your ready using no knife or cutting board! Then thread on the Perfect Pickler® four-piece kit. Done! Then just watch the action, there's nothing left to do as they transform into pickles.
So far I have found ready-prepped veggie varieties where I shop: Wegman’s, Publix, and Trader Joe’s. I'll be visiting other markets and sharing more recipes in my travels.

       Sugar Snap Antipasto

Antipasto Key Ingredients - 1 Quart Recipe

Switch out the ingredients in 2,3, or 4 to reinvent your own recipe

1  Base Trio Veggies - 2-1/2 cups

2   Featured Veggie - 1-1/2 cups

3   Fresh Herb - 1/4 cup

4  Spice Blend - 1-3 Tsp

1 We use a basic chef’s mix of diced onions, carrots, and celery, called a mirepoix (meer-PWAH). It is the heart of many soups and stews from around the globe.
It is also the workhorse for umpteen antipastos in the Perfect Pickler®. We use a ready-prepped mirepoix (or for the thrifty or swift of knife, you can chop one cup each of carrot and onion, and a 1/2 cup celery into half-inch cubes).*

* Another basic chef's mix for Cajun or Creole antipasto, replace the carrot with diced green bell peppers. (Use okra for featured veggie, celery leaf for fresh herb, and cajun spice mix for spice blend).

2 Next choose a key vegetable to showcase. I love sugar snap peas. They have a sweet flavor and a nice crunch after pickling. Consider a host of other suitable vegetables; white cauliflower, banana peppers, broccoli stems—most any firm vegetable you already enjoy.

3 we need a fresh herb to flavor the antipasto. Many stores now stock small amounts of fresh herbs, or you can opt just for dried herbs or blends. Use a quarter cup of fresh whole herbs.
4 Build up flavor with a tsp. or so of dried herb or spice blend. You will be like a kid in a candy store at the spice shops. Here's an idea: use cauliflower, curry leaf and curry powder to bloom an Indian Antipasto.

Here is the starter version and then I will turn you loose.

Sugar Snap Antipasto - Makes 1 Qt.

Ingredients:


Sugar Snaps: 6 oz., (about 1-1/2 cups)

Mirepoix, large dice: 10 oz. (or 1 cup each carrots,
onion, celery in 1/2-inch cubes)

Fresh Whole Herb: 1/4 cup savory (summer)

Or consider: thyme, dill, sage, lemon verbena, or
tarragon to name a few

Dried Spice/Herb: 1 tsp. cracked peppercorns

Or consider: Italian Herb Blend, Herbes de
Provence, Taco blend

Brine: Dissolve 1 TBS. coarse premium sea salt with 2 cups filtered water

Directions:

Combine sugar snaps, mirepoix, and fresh savory in a large bowl

Add the cracked peppercorns to the bottom of a clean 1-quart jar

Add the vegetable mix to the jar, lightly tamping as you fill until 2 inches from the jar lip

Make the brine and pour into jar until 1/2 inch from jar lip

Install the Perfect Pickler® 4-piece kit according to instructions on page 8 or on the website

Ferment four days. Place kit in picnic cooler with ice blocks if warmer than 74º

Serving Suggestion

After fermentation is complete: Enjoy as starter finger food.

Arrange on a plate with slices of cheese, meats/tuna/sardines or hard boiled eggs, and crackers/bread.

As a side salad. Toss with a drizzle of oil, a squeeze of lemon juice and some blue cheese or feta crumbles        ----------------------->>

© 2014 by B. Hettig All rights reserved