Re: Question for Heidi re pounded greens

[Guest guest]

Carolyn wrote:

> Heidi, when you prepare your pounded greens do you include or remove the

> stem parts on kale and chard?

Um, I leave the stems, but then, I LIKE the stems even

raw. They do get crunchier though, less tough.

>

> Carolyn, who is still dreaming of a dunker

Yeah, they are sitting waiting to mail! My mailing person is

on strike (long story). Maybe today!

[Guest guest]

> Heidi wrote:

> Um, I leave the stems, but then, I LIKE the stems even

> raw. They do get crunchier though, less tough.

I was too eager to get started, so I went ahead with them, removing the

stems (my composting worms will be happy). I sure don't like them raw, so

maybe this is good thing. I'll have to try a mini-batch that includes them.

No hurries on the dunker. This is my first ferment in quite some time. I

tried kimchi not too long ago, but wasn't too happy with the results. I'll

be giving your version a try next.

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Oh cripes, I forgot to ask ... if the pounded greens don't produce enough

liquid to be completely immersed after a certain amount of time, do you add

a brine to get them covered?

Thanks much,

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

Carolyn wrote:

>

> Oh cripes, I forgot to ask ... if the pounded greens don't produce enough

> liquid to be completely immersed after a certain amount of time, do

> you add

> a brine to get them covered?

>

> Thanks much,

>

> Carolyn

Yep. I used to boil some water and add salt for brine, and still do

sometimes.

But our water supply is more pure now, so I just add water and a sprinkle

or two of salt if I think it's needed. I go by taste. It should be slightly

salty, like a good soup. Adding a splash of vinegar is a good

safety factor too. The typical measurements though are 2T of salt to a

qt of water,

and 2T vinegar in some old recipes.

I hardly ever get enough juice to cover the greens, BTW. But pounding

is mainly to get them to pack nicely in the container, and release some

of the juice. Many recipes I have don't call for pounding at all, just

toss some greens in a jar and pour brine over them. Asian fermented

greens, in one recipe, call for putting the greens out in the sun

to wilt first, which is easier than pounding!

--- Heidi

[Guest guest]

Fresh = enough water, wilted when you bought it or left in fridge too long =

probably not enough so need brine

Works both ways, but fresher is better

Connie

RE: Question for Heidi re pounded greens

Oh cripes, I forgot to ask ... if the pounded greens don't produce enough

liquid to be completely immersed after a certain amount of time, do you add

a brine to get them covered?

Thanks much,

Carolyn

[Guest guest]

[Carolyn] Heidi, when you prepare your pounded greens do you include

or remove the stem parts on kale and chard?

[Heidi] Um, I leave the stems, but then, I LIKE the stems even raw.

They do get crunchier though, less tough.

[Mike] I've got a huge patch of succulent mustard greens thriving

right now that I planted sort of accidentally a while back, so I've

been experimenting a lot with mustard green kimchi using the pounding

method. The stems are definitely the best part of pretty much any of

those related plants like kale, mustard, etc, so it would be nuts to

not use them, but the dilemma I'm finding is that when I pound the

greens the nice shape and texture of the stems is destroyed. I'm

thinking about maybe separating the leaves from their

stems/petioles/midribs first and only pounding the leaves. The

tradeoff is not getting all the juices from the stems, but maybe I

should try that brine method because it sounds easier anyway. By the

way, for pounding greens, I've found that regular mouth 1/2 pint mason

jars work great (using the bottom as the pounding surface) and are

very comfortable to use. I pound on top of a large wooden cutting

board.

Mike

SE Pennsylvania

[Guest guest]

If I had your greens patch I wouldn't bother with the stems, nor with the

center ribs of the leaves. The leafier parts are greener and more nutritious

as far as I'm concerned. I would be eating them cooked and eating lots of

them for a spring cleansing. You can eat more cooked mustard greens than raw

ones. They are more digestible cooked so you get more from them.

I love fermented, pickled foods but I would get my daily quota elsewhere

Z

Re: Question for Heidi re pounded greens

> [Carolyn] Heidi, when you prepare your pounded greens do you include

> or remove the stem parts on kale and chard?

>

> [Heidi] Um, I leave the stems, but then, I LIKE the stems even raw.

> They do get crunchier though, less tough.

>

> [Mike] I've got a huge patch of succulent mustard greens thriving

> right now that I planted sort of accidentally a while back, so I've

> been experimenting a lot with mustard green kimchi using the pounding

> method. The stems are definitely the best part of pretty much any of

> those related plants like kale, mustard, etc, so it would be nuts to

> not use them, but the dilemma I'm finding is that when I pound the

> greens the nice shape and texture of the stems is destroyed. I'm

> thinking about maybe separating the leaves from their

> stems/petioles/midribs first and only pounding the leaves. The

> tradeoff is not getting all the juices from the stems, but maybe I

> should try that brine method because it sounds easier anyway. By the

> way, for pounding greens, I've found that regular mouth 1/2 pint mason

> jars work great (using the bottom as the pounding surface) and are

> very comfortable to use. I pound on top of a large wooden cutting

> board.

>

> Mike

> SE Pennsylvania

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Anton wrote:

> [Carolyn] Heidi, when you prepare your pounded greens do you include

> or remove the stem parts on kale and chard?

>

> [Heidi] Um, I leave the stems, but then, I LIKE the stems even raw.

> They do get crunchier though, less tough.

>

> [Mike] I've got a huge patch of succulent mustard greens thriving

> right now that I planted sort of accidentally a while back, so I've

> been experimenting a lot with mustard green kimchi using the pounding

> method. The stems are definitely the best part of pretty much any of

> those related plants like kale, mustard, etc, so it would be nuts to

> not use them, but the dilemma I'm finding is that when I pound the

> greens the nice shape and texture of the stems is destroyed.

Um ... well .. I'm probably too lazy a pounder to actually destroy the

stems.

They seem fine at the end.

> I'm

> thinking about maybe separating the leaves from their

> stems/petioles/midribs first and only pounding the leaves. The

> tradeoff is not getting all the juices from the stems, but maybe I

> should try that brine method because it sounds easier anyway. By the

> way, for pounding greens, I've found that regular mouth 1/2 pint mason

> jars work great (using the bottom as the pounding surface) and are

> very comfortable to use. I pound on top of a large wooden cutting

> board.

I use a heavy stainless bowl and a wooden dowel thingie I got at a Korean

store (probably designed for that purpose). But yeah, the brine method

is *easier*.

Pounding uses less jar and gives a more intense liquid. I use the extra

liquid though,

in soups and other things, so it doesn't really matter that there is

lots of it.

-- Heidi