Fermented Honey Mustard

This is such an easy, delicious way to make the tangy flavor of homemade mustard come alive in your kitchen. A complex layering of flavors belies the simplicity of the process. Spike the flavor up with some finely grated horseradish, or ginger, or chili, if you like. Once you have the basics down, there’s room to tinker. We call for a mild kombucha, such as one made with white or green tea, but use a mild black tea kombucha if that is what you have at hand. The tannins in black tea, combined with the natural bitterness of the mustard seed, can be a bit of a heavy combination, but some folks like mustard with a punch, so use your judgment. Here, we used a green/black tea kombucha blend, seasoned with turmeric, ginger, allspice, and cinnamon, but a plain variety would work as well; so much flavor comes from the mustard seeds.

Ah, the mustard seeds! As you may know, mustard seeds come in several colors and flavors. The yellow seeds are the most versatile and balanced, not too bitter or too hot but full of flavor nonetheless. The black/brown varieties can be a bit more acrid or piquant; use them in this recipe blended with the yellow seeds if you want to ramp up the intensity. You can also sometimes find hot mustard seed, aka Chinese mustard, although it is less widely available; it is smaller, hotter, but generally less complex a flavor than the yellow. Use it in conjunction with the yellow seeds, if desired.

Directions

Put the mustard seed in a sterilized jar and add a pinch of sea salt, no more than 1/4 tsp.
Pour the kombucha over the seeds, adding a bit more if necessary to ensure they are covered. Stir well.

Cover loosely with cheese cloth or a paper towel and leave in a warm, dark place for a week to ferment, as if it were kombucha.

After the week is out, the seeds can be use whole, sprinkled in stir-fry, curries, or over roasted meats and veg. Their texture has softened, and the natural pungency of the raw seeds has relaxed somewhat.

To make the honey mustard, blend the fermented mustard seeds in the small bowl of a food processor or blender.

Add the minced garlic, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and honey. If there is liquid left in the jar after soaking the mustard seeds, it can be used to add liquid to make the seeds blend together more easily. Pulse until the desired consistency is reached. We like it blended well, with a smattering of whole seeds left, to add mouthfeel and interest.

Pour the mixture into a storage jar with a lid, scraping down the blender with a spatula or silicon spoon to get out all the mustard.

Add the olive oil to the mustard mixture and stir well to combine.

Store the fermented honey mustard in a lidded jar in the fridge, where it will keep for at least a month. This recipe is not shelf stable. 

 

Over to You

It’s part of our mission here at Mountain Feed to help you make delicious, sustainable, homemade food more often. Stop by and say hello on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest. Or, as always, you can do it the old-fashioned way and come by the store to speak with one of our in-house experts.