Here, no vinegar or cooking: these are the good bacteria who do all the work while you look at your jar feeling vaguely like an alchemist. In a few days, the turnip transforms into a naturally tangy pickle, ultra crunchy and full of character. It’s alive, it sparkles sometimes, and it’s totally normal (I promise, your jar isn’t plotting).
- In a container, dissolve 20 g of salt in 1 L of water.
- Peel the turnips and cut them into sticks or thin slices, so that they ferment quickly and remain crunchy.
- Place them in the jar, with the garlic, mustard seeds, pepper, bay leaf and chilli if desired. Leave about 2/3 cm at the top of the jar.
- Pour the brine on top, make sure the vegetables stay submerged: you can use a fermentation weight.
- Close the jar and leave at room temperature for between 5 and 10 days depending on your tastes (start tasting after the 5th day).
- When you like the taste, place your pickles in the refrigerator.
If you want to use only the amount of water and salt you need for your jar, once the turnips are placed in the jar, fill it with water: the turnips must be completely submerged, then empty the water in order to weigh it, add the salt in order to obtain 2% brine.
These lacto-fermented pickles love the slightly sober dishes that they come to liven up: bowls of vegetables, sandwiches, oriental dishes, cheeses or even raclette out of season (yes, we assume). Snack on as is or use as little acid boost, they also have the superpower of keeping for a long time... provided you don't eat them all first.
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