In a pickle...

Much to my delight my employer came to me last week with the request that they would like to eat more fermented foods.  While I am no Sandor Katz, fermented foods are my jam (so to speak).  And as luck would have it, I was bequeathed several bags of heirloom tomatoes and cucumbers fresh from the garden less than 24 hours earlier.

First thought: Ma' Beers' Pickles.  Sweet and sour pickles, (think bread and butter pickles with more spices and depth of flavor), that I have been making professionally for over a decade.

Done.

Then the tomatoes.  I had planned on making a salad or roasting/dehydrating them, and then I thought, "why not pickle them, too?" So I embarked upon the pickling process only to find that my vinegar supply was woefully low (I like to use rice wine vinegar to pickle tomatoes). At this point it became a "mystery basket" competition, assessing what foodstuffs I had at my disposal and creating something delicious.  I realized that I had a couple of scallions that needed to be used up, as well as a piece of fresh ginger, and a tub of organic shiro miso.  Time to create my improv version of the traditional Japanese pickle: misozuke.

While ginger-miso-tomatoes may sound a little out there, the results are delicious.  And with the onset of tomato season, everyone needs a way to process those excess fruits of summertime.  And these are K.I.S.S easy to make.

Improv Misozuke
1-1/2 pounds          tomatoes, washed, cored, and medium-diced (about 4 cups)
2        each              scallions, sliced thin (about 1 cup)
1/4     cup               shiro miso
2        Tbsp             sliced-peeled ginger root (about a 2" piece)
          pinch            crushed red chili flakes

Place all ingredients in a non-reactive container and mix to thoroughly combine.  Press down on the vegetables and make sure they are submerged below the miso/liquid that is in the container; use a clean towel to clean the sides of the inside of the container (to prevent any spills from becoming moldy).  Cover the container with cheesecloth (or breathable clean cloth) and secure with a rubber band or twine; place in a dark cool place (mine were kept at 76F) for 2-3 days or until bubbles are starting to form at the surface.  At this point remove the cheesecloth and cover the container; the pickles can be stored in the refrigerator for 2-4 weeks or canned for longer storage.


NOTE:  you can also skip the fermentation process if you prefer; miso-tomato salad is delicious too, warm or cold