Fermented Beets

This is a recipe of my own creation.  The method comes from a combination of sources- an old food preservation book I have (Well Preserved by Joan Hassol) and a You Tube video on vegetable fermentation by Sandor Katz  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i77hU3zR-fQ&feature=youtu.be

I've tried this twice.  The second attempt yielded better results, so I'll detail that attempt here.

The Recipe:
2 large beets (about 1.5 lbs)
1 small Spanish onion
4 medium carrots
1 tsp. salt

The Method
1) I grated all of the peeled vegetables in a food processor and placed them in a large mixing bowl. (You could certainly grate them with a handheld grater- just bring your muscles.)  

2)  I sprinkled the vegetables with the salt.

3) I got my hands dirty.  I used my hands to work the vegetables, mixing and squeezing them, for several minutes.  The squeezing is key; it breaks down cell walls and allows the veggies to release their juices.  It's the juices that create the brine that the mix will be submerged in.

4) Once my veggies were good and wet, I packed them into jars with my (now purple) hands making sure that they were covered with liquid.  The amount of mix that I had fit into 2 twelve oz and 1 eight oz mason jars. I placed the lids on the jars but did not tighten them to prevent pressure build up. I placed all of the jars on a towel and placed them near the coffee pot where I would be sure to keep an eye on them.

5) I waited...
After 2 days, bubbles began to rise to the top:)
After 4 days, the bubbles were replaced by scummy stuff.  This was my clue that fermentation was complete.

6) I scraped off the scum (which I'm told is totally normal), cleaned up the jars and sealed the lids. I put them in the fridge where they should last for a month or more .(I'll use my judgement on that.)

7) I ate them!  I was't quite sure how to best enjoy fermented beets; it turns out they are pretty good in a salad...

My Salad:
I topped a bed of mesculin greens with the beets and some crumbled goat cheese (I also tried Gorgonzola- not bad).  I tossed the salad with a dressing I made (olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup).  Some toasted nuts might make a nice addition here; I'll try that next time.