Fermented Beets With Orange And Ginger - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 medium beets, peeled and sliced into 1/8 inch-thick rounds
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon allspice berry
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorn
1 teaspoon whole cloves
2 sticks cinnamon
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and cut into matchsticks
peel of 1 orange, cut off in wide strips
2 tablespoons whey
2 tablespoons honey
3 cups warm filtered water, warmed
kosher salt or sea salt, to taste

Preparation

1. Bring a 4-qt. saucepan of salted water to a boil, and add beets; cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl of ice water, and let sit for 2 minutes to chill. Drain and place beets in a sterilized 1-qt. glass jar along with mustard seeds, allspice berries, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and orange peel. In a medium bowl, stir together whey, honey, and filtered water; pour over beets until covered. Pour any remaining brine or water into a resealable plastic sandwich bag, and place bag on top of beets to keep them submerged.
2. Drape a clean kitchen towel over the jar, and let it sit at room temperature until beets have cured to your taste, about 1 week. Season after curing with kosher or sea salt to taste, cover jar with lid, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.