Brine-Pickled Garlic Scapes

• 1 pound young garlic scapes, trimmed of any tough or dried-out stems
• 4 cups water, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons finely ground unrefined sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pack the garlic scapes tightly into a quart-sized mason jar, taking care not to bruise the tender young flowers.
2. Create a brine by warming the water in a saucepan until it reaches blood temperature (98° to 100°F), so it feels neither hot nor cold when you touch it.
3. Whisk in the salt until it dissolves and pour the brine over the garlic scapes, taking care to submerge all the scapes. If the scapes are not completely submerged, simply pour in additional water to cover.
4. Weigh down the scapes with a glass weight, sterilized stone, or lid to prevent them from floating in the brine and close the crock, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace to prevent overflow.
5. Ferment at room temperature for 10 to 14 days, then taste the scapes to see if they’ve acquired the level of sourness you like.
6. If you prefer a sourer or more complex flavor, continue fermenting—testing every 3 to 5 days—until done to your liking.
7. Transfer to cold storage such as a refrigerator, cool basement, or root cellar and use within 1 year.