​Incorporating Fermentation

Our first iron chef was in the beginning of February. We had our typical assignment, along with the added challenge of incorporating the pickles we  made individually or the kimchi we made as a class. However, the homemade kimchi was not to be trusted and therefore was not included in any of the prepared dishes.

To make the pickles we added hard vegetables such as cucumbers and carrots to glass jars and filled the empty space with water. For every cup of water we added a tablespoon of salt and pickling spices. To make the kimchi we chopped up a variety of greens and compacting them in a container with salt and other spices. Overtime, the bacteria finishes the fermentation process.  

Incorporating the fermented vegetables into the challenge varied from a garnish to a key aspect of the meal. The previous winners entered the hall of fame with their delicious crêpe. Despite the brought in goat cheese and crêpe mix adding a few food miles, the dish was sustainable and therefore worthy of the hall of fame. The pickles were added as a side. The winning dish was a vegetable dish and kale chips. The pickles were incorporated as part of the main dish.

Ella