You've probably heard of kimchi, the spicy Korean side dish made with fermented cabbage, spices, and herbs. But the techniques that make kimchi so exceptionally flavorful can also be applied to lots of different winter vegetables, adding a little kick to a cold weather meal. In this video, Kitchen Vignettes blogger Aube Giroux takes viewers through the step-by-step process of fermenting leekchi.
A cousin to kimchi, leekchi trades cabbage for winter leeks. Giroux begins by harvesting the leeks from her garden and carefully cleaning them to remove the grit. The stalks are then sliced thinly, sprinkled with salt, and massaged by hand to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Grated ginger, chopped garlic, red pepper flakes, and ground red pepper are then added for a punch of flavor. Giroux then tosses the mixture together and stuffs it tightly into glass jars. The leekchi is left to ferment for between seven and ten days. At that point it's ready to combine with a bowl of rice or add to the top of crusty bread and cheese. Find the full recipe here.
