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Fermenting a surplus of herbs can be a resourceful way to preserve them and immortalize their delicate lifespan. Simple pantry ingredients such as miso paste, garlic, apple cider vinegar and sea salt help transform the herbs into a savory jar of fermented pesto. The salt in particular reacts with the chlorophyll in the herb leaves, helping the mixture stay vibrant throughout the process.

This ferment runs its course in the refrigerator, which can be a great way to dabble in the art of fermentation without having potentially pungent-smelling jars lining your kitchen counters.

The mixture is then utilized as a pesto spread on garlic bread. Not having to wash and chop the herbs and garlic when preparing the garlic bread is a game changer when it comes to prep time. The garlic flavor finish is also a bit milder and sweeter, making the herbaceous notes of the parsley more prominent.

What’s Good to Know with Chef Olivia:

• It’s not recommended to ferment with oil or nuts because of the high fat content. This can potentially cause the jar contents to go rancid and can also possibly harbor unwanted bacteria.
• Try making fermented pesto with other fresh herbs like basil, sage or chervil.
• Massaging the herbs with sea salt helps break down the plant cells, helping kickstart the fermentation process.
• Destem parsley or any fresh herbs you are using for best results.
• Use your jar of fermented parsley garlic pesto in soups, chicken salad or even green goddess dressing.

Recipe

Parsley Parmesan Pesto Garlic Bread
Yield: 2 dozen pieces
 

Ingredients

For the Fermented Parsley Garlic “Parmesan” Pesto:

Yield: 1 pint-sized jar

• 2 bunches parsley, any stems removed
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 cup mellow white miso
• 2 tablespoons raw apple cider vinegar
• water, to cover

For the Garlic Bread & Assembly:

• 1 pint fermented parsley pesto
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
• 1 baguette, sliced

Directions

For the Fermented Parsley Garlic “Parmesan” Pesto:

1. Add parsley leaves and sliced garlic to a medium bowl.
2. Massage with salt.
3. Fold in miso and apple cider vinegar.
4. Pack mixture into a sterilized, glass pint-sized jar, along with any liquid created in the massaging process.
5. Cover with water, until the level reaches the top of the bottom rim.
6. Add fermentation weight and fasten lid.
7. Ferment in the refrigerator for 7 days.

For the Garlic Bread & Assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Strain fermented parsley pesto and place in a bowl.
3. Fold in olive oil and grated Parmesan.
4. Emulsify olive oil into fermented parsley pesto with an immersion blender.
5. Spread pesto onto baguette pieces and arrange onto tray.
6. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes, or until bread is crispy and golden.