This week’s recipe is one that will take some time. This is one of my favorite food processing methods – lacto-fermentation! For this you will need a Quart Jar. If you want to get fancy, a jar top that has an airlock is perfect but if you don’t have one, you can either make sure to remember to “burp” the jar every day, or fasten a clean dish rag over the top of the jar. Without an airlock, you will need to pay even more attention to the fermentation to make sure it’s running the correct course.

Ingredients

½ cup chopped pineapple

½ cup chopped strawberries

1 heaping cup chopped habanero peppers and sweet bell peppers (ratio depends on taste)

1 chopped white onion

4 cups distilled water

2 ½ tablespoons salt

1. Sterilize your jar in boiling water. Since we;ll be creating an environment that’s nice for bacteria to grow in, let’s start off with a clean slate.
2. PLEASE WEAR GLOVES WHEN HANDLING HABANERO PEPPERS.
3. Chop fresh ingredients – devein and remove the majority of seeds from the peppers – and place in jar.
4. Dissolve salt into distilled water and into the jar. It’s important to make sure all of the fresh ingredients are completely submerged. A jar weight or even a clean bowl or cup can help!
5. Keep Jar in a cool dry place out of sunlight for 2 to 3 weeks. Check it everyday and skim any foam or scum off the top. The ferment will certainly have a strong aroma, but should never smell rotten or rancid.
6. Blend the fermented ingredients with about half of the fermentation liquid, replacing the rest with white vinegar.
7. To stop the fermentation process, you must bring the sauce to a boil – though some enjoy letting their sauce continue to ferment at a slower pace in the fridge. This is a great sauce to can once you cook it!