Turkish cuisine · Salads & Mezze

Black Sea Kale Pickle

Black Sea kale fermented in brine, tangy and crunchy as a winter appetizer.

Ingredients · for 8 servings

• 1 kg Black Sea kale (kale/collard greens)
• 1.5 l water
• 60 g coarse salt
• 1 head garlic
• 100 ml wine vinegar
• 1 tsp chickpeas
• 2 red chili peppers
• 1 tsp black peppercorns

Instructions

1. Wash the kale, cut out the tough center ribs and tear the leaves into hand-width pieces; fermentation will take 2–3 weeks.
2. Bring the water and coarse salt to a boil until fully dissolved, and let the brine cool completely to room temperature.
3. Separate the garlic head into individual cloves and peel them, and slit the chili peppers once lengthwise.
4. Layer the kale, garlic, chilies, peppercorns and the chickpeas – they kick-start the fermentation – into a clean 2-liter jar and press down firmly.
5. Pour in the vinegar and cold brine until everything is submerged, weigh the kale down with a small plate and loosely close the jar.
6. Let stand at room temperature in the dark for 2–3 weeks until the brine is cloudy and smells tangy, then store cool and serve as an appetizer with beans and flatbread.