Sauerkraut

Saint Patrick's Day is rapidly approaching. Even though I have plenty of Irish ancestry, I am not a fan of boiled cabbage or corned beef. I forgo the traditional holiday meal, but still take total advantage of the fact that cabbage goes on sale during the week or so before everyone pretends they are Irish and seeks out green beer. I use the cheap cabbage to make two incredibly healthy and tasty foods; kimchi and sauerkraut. I posted my recipe for kimchi here but somehow forgot to type up the instructions for the kraut. The recipe itself is pretty easy, but you can get a work out pounding the cabbage, which is a necessary step for proper fermentation. You also have to have patience since it requires time to ferment so plan ahead. Based on the recipe from Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, this is far superior to anything you can buy in the stores. For more about the health benefits of sauerkraut, click here.

SAUERKRAUT (Makes 1 quart)

1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded

1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1 tablespoon course sea salt

1 shredded carrot

4 tablespoons whey*

*if not available, use an additional 1 tablespoon salt

Mix cabbage with caraway seeds, sea salt and whey. Pound with a wooden mallet for about 10 minutes to release the juices from the cabbage leaves. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and press down firmly until the juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Use a clean stone or a bag filled with water to hold the cabbage below the liquid. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. The sauerkraut can be eaten immediately, but it will improve with age.