Brined beetroot with orange and juniper

Beetroot and celery are both vastly more delicious preserved and brined as their textures provide the ultimate, satisfying crunch. Keep the pieces fairly large in the culture as the high sugar content of beetroot increases the chances of alcoholic fermentation, which is not what we are after. The brined beetroot can be diced and used to top soups or casseroles and is perfect with the broad bean salad or served with a cheese platter.

Makes enough to fill a 1.5 litre (6 cup) jar

Ready in approximately 3 weeks

1 litre (4 cups) filtered water

50g sea salt

5 celery stalks, cut into 5cm pieces (or smaller depending on your jar)

68 medium beetroot (beets), peeled and cut into chunks

2 bay leaves zest of 1 orange

1⁄2 tsp juniper berries, lightly bruised using a mortar and pestle

1⁄2 tsp mixed peppercorns, cracked

Method

Bring 250ml (1 cup) of the water to the boil in a large saucepan. Add the salt and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining water, then take the pan off the heat and allow the brine to cool to room temperature.

Put the celery in the jar with the beetroot, bay leaves, orange zest, juniper berries and peppercorns. Fill the jar completely, wedging the vegetables in as snugly as possible.

Steep

Pour in just enough of the cooled brine to completely cover all the ingredients, leaving 1cm2cm of space from the rim of the jar. Tap the jar on a folded tea towel (dish towel) to dislodge any air pockets. Close the lid tightly and place the jar on a tray to catch any liquid that may leak out during fermentation.

Leave in a cool spot, out of direct sunlight, with temperatures around 1824degC , for 721 days or until furiously bubbling. When the bubbles subside, the brined vegetables are ready to eat, but if you prefer them more sour, leave the jar out for another 12 weeks. When they are to your liking, slow the fermentation process by storing the jar in the fridge. This will keep for 612 months.