Lacto-Fermented Zucchini Relish

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Lacto-fermentation or lactic acid fermentation is a process that uses good bacteria, primarily from the Lactobacillus genus of bacteria, to help preserve food.

Lactobacillus bacteria convert the sugars that are naturally present in our food converting it to lactic acid. This conversion is a by-product of glucose metabolism. Here’s an interesting article explaining glucose metabolism.

As the bacteria break down sugar, lactic acid & carbon dioxide are formed, removing the oxygen essentially making the food more acidic. This process encourages the growth of more lactic acid bacteria which will help prevent the growth of pathogenic or bad bacteria or microorganisms. If you observe your ferment you’ll notice that small bubbles start to form, that is the carbon dioxide being released.

Other lacto-fermented foods you may already be familiar with are cultured dairy, wine, sourdough bread & sauerkraut.

This process also helps food become more digestible as the beneficial bacteria has started the digestion process for you.

These wonderful beneficial bacteria are what we know as prebiotics

**Lactobacillus Bacteria**

*AKA The Good Guys, Beneficial Bacteria*
*Image courtesy of Canva.com*

What are prebiotics?

Prebiotics are food or supplements that contain live microorganisms which are intended to help maintain the beneficial bacteria in the body.

Basically these are the “good guys” or beneficial bacteria that can help keep the “bad guys” or pathogenic bacteria under control. Pathogenic bacteria that create disease in the body as well as just a bunch of health problems & concerns

What are the benefits of lacto fermentation?

Increased nutrient bioavailability. Example iron from fermented veggies is more readily absorbed by the bod than iron from non fermented foods
Reduced inflammation in the body, helping to improve the barrier of your gut
Immune function support because some strains of lactic acid have been shown to boost the immune system
Blood sugar control & improved insulin sensitivity
May help with weight control
May help improve brain function

Canning vs Fermentation

When talking about food preservation, fermentation is a wonderful way to do this. It does have a key difference to canning which is I think the most popular way to preserve foods.

The canning process uses heat to essentially cook the food, killing any harmful organisms keeping your food safe, but the process also kills some key vitamins that you may be looking for your food to provide you.

Fermentation is just using good bacteria to prevent the growth of organisms, not heat.

Typically fermentation is not used for long term food preservation whereas properly canned foods can last months to years

Not saying one is better than the other, both do have a time & place, I just wanted to let you now there is a key difference

Pickling vs Fermenting

Fermentation, as we’ve discussed already uses natural & beneficial bacteria for preservation. This process can produce a softer end product as the fermentation process helps to break down food making the easily digestible & more nutrient bioavailable

Pickling uses acidic substances such as hot vinegar brines & heat for preservation. Some pickle recipes have a high processed sugar content as well. This method does produce a less nutritious end product but can help preserve the crunchiness of certain fruits & vegetables.

If you’re wanting the benefits of fermentation with the crunchiness of pickling you would need to add some oak or grape leaves to the bottom & top of the jar. I’ve also used bay leaves to help with the crunch factor but too many can leave you with a slightly bitter aftertaste.

The point of this post is not to deter you from one method over another, but rather to share the different methods of food preservation we have available to us.

Lacto-Fermented Zucchini Relish

Two important ingredients that are needed in this recipe is a high quality mineral salt & raw, unpasteurized honey

The mineral salt helps prevent pathogenic or bad bacteria from growing & potentially spoiling your ferment. If you wanted to make this ferment with only salt you could, it is really the only non-negotiable ingredient, but I really like the added health benefits raw honey brings to the table

Raw honey plays a few different & equally important roles:

Naturally contains a plethora of antioxidants, vitamins, mineral, wild yeasts & enzymes
During the fermentation process the beneficial bacteria feed on the sugars in the food producing lactic acid.
Since honey has its wild yeasts & enzymes it is an effective when combined with lactic acid it becomes an extremely effective preservation method
Honey also contains antimicrobial properties that can help keep the pathogenic bacteria at bay.

Recipe:

2-4 zucchini

1 pepper

1 Tbsp mustard seeds

1 Tbsp dill seeds

2 Tbsp fresh dill

1 Tbsp raw honey

Filtered water

Starter Culture:

2 Tbsp mineral salt

Or 1 Tbsp mineral salt & 4 tbsp whey

Equipment:

Mason jar, clean & sterile
Non-metal bowl for mixing
Wooden or plastic utensils for measuring & stirring
Plastic canning funnel
Fermentation lid *See NOTES
Fermentation weight/spring
Pickle pounder (not necessary but definitely helpful)

Instructions:

Wash & grate vegetables
Place grated vegetables in a bowl adding the salt & honey, stir until nicely mixed.
Leave for 10 minutes allow the salt to naturally bring out the water from the zucchini
Place the mixture in a clean sterile wide mouth mason jar
Add 1T mustard seeds, 1T dill seeds, 2T fresh dill & whey (if using) to the jar
Cover with filtered water 1 inch from the top if needed
Place a clean piece of lettuce or something else that will help keep everything below the liquid line & place a fermentation weight/spring (if using) overtop of the mixture
Allow to ferment on the counter at room temperature for 3 days
Store in the refrigerator

Notes & Substitution Recommendations:

Feel free to add in additional veggies
If you’re wanting to add a bit of spice, be careful. The fermentation process can elevate flavors but adding too many hot peppers can make it really spicy.
Play around with the spices or seeds. You just need to leave the salt & honey alone, those are important for culturing process not just the end flavor
Always use filtered water, not tap water. You need to make sure that there is no chlorine in your water as that may interfere with the fermentation process
You can place a clean lettuce leaf over the mixture to help ensure it stays below the liquid. Anything over the liquid runs the risk of mold. This isn’t necessary but it is helpful especially if you aren’t able to check your ferment daily
If you notice any mold all you need to do is remove it if possible as it’s most likely just going to be on the very top layer. If it is moldy throughout I would just throw it out & start over as the jar might have been contaminated.
If you don’t want to use a fermentation weight or spring they aren’t necessary, just make sure that the vegetables are always under the brine level
If you don’t have a fermentation lid you can just use a regular mason jar lid & just loosen it to allow the gas to release once a day but don’t take the lid off. Do this over the sink because as soon as you open the lid all of the gas will be released. It’s important to know that sometimes this release can be akin to opening a pop bottle that has been shaken
If you lose too much liquid & it’s no longer above the fermented vegetables, simply add more filtered water so everything is nicely submerged
Always be sure to put your ferment on a plate with a towel underneath or in a container like mine. This way you won’t end up with brine all over the counter

Comment down below & let me know, is something you’re going to make? Did you decide to customize it or did you make it following this recipe? I’d love to hear about it

Be sure to come back next week & learn how to make an emulsified oil facial cleanser that will have your skin feeling clean & fresh

Until next time, may you find Peace wherever you are!