Spent Beer Grain Nukadoko

SAVORY

Sep 25

with Poached Turnips

Chef Hari Cameron of a(MUSE.) | Rehoboth Beach, DE

Yield: 1 nukadoko

INGREDIENTS:

Nukadoko:
3 kilograms spent beer grain
500 grams beer (made from the spent grains or similar)
390 grams salt
4 slices rye or sourdough bread
100 grams garlic, peeled
200 grams garlic powder
2 Granny Smith apples, coarsely chopped
300 grams ground toasted dill seeds
50 grams ground toasted coriander seeds
100 grams thinly sliced ginger
5 dried chiles, seeded
Two 2-inch square pieces kombu
1 bunch dill, coarsely chopped
Vegetable trimmings
Fresh vegetables

Poached Turnips:
(Yield: 4 servings)
10 baby Tokyo turnips, washed and stems removed
Salt
2 cloves garlic, peeled and fire roasted
One 2-inch piece ginger skin, fire roasted
One 2-inch square piece kombu, toasted at 400ºF for 4 minutes
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil

METHOD:

For the Nukadoko:
Heat oven to 350ºF. On a sheet tray, evenly spread grains. Toast in oven 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Using a PolyScience Control Freak induction burner, heat a pot containing beer and salt over medium-high heat until alcohol has cooked off. Cool to room temperature. To a food processor, add bread, garlic, garlic powder, apple, seeds, and ginger. Pulse until combined and finely crumbled. In a large container or crock, combine toasted grains, beer brine, purée, chiles, kombu, and dill. Slowly stir in 1.5 kilograms water, or enough water so that the mixture resembles moist dirt or wet sand. Bury all vegetables in the nukadoko and flatten surface with hands, compressing mixture. Cover with a couple layers of cheesecloth and place lid slightly ajar. Store at room temperature overnight, out of direct sunlight. Using hands, aerate mixture by repeatedly scooping and turning mixture from bottom up. Mixture must be turned every day for the life of the nukadodo. After two days, taste and discard vegetables. Bury a new set of vegetables. Repeat every 2 days for 2 weeks, until nukadoko develops rich, earthy scent, and making sure to taste each batch of vegetables to see how nukadoko affects flavor as it ferments. After two weeks, nukadoko should be microbially active enough to produce proper pickles. Bury vegetables in nukadoko overnight to pickle. If they still taste very salty and not yet sour, leave in for 1or 2 more days to continue fermenting. When nukadoko matures, smaller vegetables should be pickled in 2 to 4 hours, and larger vegetables in 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

For the Olive Oil Poached Turnips:
Using a PolyScience Control Freak induction burner, heat a pot of water to 195ºF. In a vacuum bag, combine turnips, garlic, ginger, kombu, and oil. Season with salt and seal. Cook turnips sous vide 30 minutes, until tender but slightly underdone. Drain turnips and reserve oil.

To Assemble and Serve:
On a serving plate, arrange warm turnips and drizzle with reserved oil. Finish with pickles from nukadodo.

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