Kirsten Shockey's Be Good To Your Gut Fennel Chutney

1. Gather and prepare your ingredients.

2. Combine the fennel, dandelion root, ginger, turmeric, black pepper, and fennel seed in a large bowl. Sprinkle in the salt and, using your hands, massage it in to release the juices. Once you have brine, add the dried apple pieces. At this point, you should have a moist mixture.

3. Pack the mixture into your fermentation vessel, pressing down to remove air pockets as you go. You should see some brine on top of the mixture when you press. There will be only a small amount of brine. Don’t worry if it “disappears” between pressings. As long as the relish is damp, you have enough. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the relish and add a weight if you have one. Alternatively, top the ferment with a quart-size ziplock bag. Press the bag down onto the top of the ferment and then fill it with water and seal.

4. Set your fermentation vessel on a plate in a spot where you can keep an eye on it, out of direct sunlight, and let ferment 5 to 14 days. It’s ready when you taste that sour of the ferment.

5. To store, transfer to smaller jars, if necessary, and tamp down. Pour in any brine that’s left. Tighten the lids, then store in the fridge. This will keep, refrigerated, for 1 year.