Sauerkraut

Ingredients

• Per 1 litre of water:
• salt – 1 tbsp
• sugar – 2 tbsp
• cabbage – 1 – 1.2 kg
• carrot – 2 – 4 pcs
• bay leaf – 2 pcs
• allspice berries – 5 – 7 pcs

Method

1. Step 1

   Bay leaves — 2. Allspice berries — 5–7.

   
2. Step 2

   Autumn salads and pickles — and cabbage, crunchy and good for you.

   
3. Step 3

   Brine: 1 litre water, 1 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp sugar. Bring to the boil and cool to room temperature. Enough for a 3-litre jar.

   
4. Step 4

   While it cools, choose a winter white cabbage — it tastes best, though other sorts have worked for me.

   
5. Step 5

   Strip the outer leaves. Halve the head and shred with a knife or a cabbage grater.

6. Step 6

   Grate 2–4 carrots on a medium grater, fewer if they are large.

   
7. Step 7

   Toss cabbage and carrot with bay and peppercorns (I used a mixed pepper this time; allspice is traditional) until the carrot is even.

   
8. Step 8

   Pack tightly into the jar, tamping with a rolling pin so almost no air remains. Fill to the shoulder. A 3-litre crock works the same way.

   
9. Step 9

   Pour in the cooled brine slowly, piercing with a long skewer so air escapes and the brine fills the gaps.

10. Step 10

    A little brine may be left — that’s fine.

    
11. Step 11

    Stand the jar in a deep plate: a lot of juice will run. Pour off the extra. In a crock, weight the top (I used a saucer and a jar of cucumbers). Leave in a warm place 3 days — the kitchen is enough. When the juice has mostly gone from the surface, pierce a few times to let gas out.

12. Step 12

    If the room is cold, allow 4 days.

13. Step 13

    My mother-in-law says to ferment on “women’s days” — Wednesday, Friday, Saturday — and in dry weather. Believe the omen or not; her cabbage is always excellent.

    
14. Step 14

    To serve, scatter thinly sliced red onion and unrefined sunflower oil.