Gogonele, Romanian brined green tomatoes

Name: Gogonele, Romanian brined green tomatoes
Ingredients: 5 kg green tomatoes; 1 large head of garlic (60 g); 5-6 parsnip roots; 1 celery root (500 g); 4-5 pieces of horseradish; 30 g celery leaves; 15 g lovage leaves; 4 medium carrots (400 g); 10 hot peppers; 15-20 sour cherry leaves; 3000 ml cold water; 3 tablespoons table salt

Pickles - Gogonele, Romanian brined green tomatoes by Ica B. - Recipia

Sour cherry leaves go into Gogonele, Romanian brined green tomatoes, packed raw in a container with cold brine. Garlic, horseradish, root vegetables and herbs are tucked among them, and after fermentation the tomatoes stay firm and tangy. I choose small, firm ones because I like to put them whole in the container. Preparation: 45 minutes. Cooking: 0 minutes. Resting: 21 days. Total time: 21 days and 45 minutes. Servings: 20. Approximately 45 kcal and 2 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

5 kg green tomatoes
1 large head of garlic (60 g)
5-6 parsnip roots
1 celery root (500 g)
4-5 pieces of horseradish
30 g celery leaves
15 g lovage leaves
4 medium carrots (400 g)
10 hot peppers
15-20 sour cherry leaves
3000 ml cold water
3 tablespoons table salt

Preparation

1. Wash the green tomatoes and all the vegetables, including the celery and lovage leaves. 2. Peel the parsnip, celery root, carrots and horseradish. Cut the root vegetables and horseradish into thick slices or pieces, then peel the garlic cloves. 3. Arrange the green tomatoes, root vegetables, garlic, hot peppers and leaves in the container, alternating the layers. 4. Pour the 3000 ml of cold water over the vegetables and add 3 tablespoons of salt, one for each liter of water. 5. Carefully shake the container, then leave it in the pantry for 21 days, until the brine tastes sour.

Notes

I should have posted these pickles last year. The container sits in the pantry, out of the sun; if it’s warm in there, the green tomatoes and brine turn sour faster. Choose firm green tomatoes without bruises, and sort them by size, since the large ones turn sour more slowly than the small ones. It’s easy to rush the shaking at the beginning; move the container gently until the salt is dispersed in the water. I serve them with mashed beans or roast meat, with bread on the side for dipping in the brine.