Surprising Sauerkraut

DINNER is special. In the middle of the table is a large pineapple that has been dug and filled with pineapple pieces and something white. Grated coconut? No, sauerkraut! Surprised? Not if you live in Germany or Poland.

German chefs not only serve sauerkraut in the traditional way, as a complement to meat dishes (especially sausages or pork), but also use them in combination with other foods, such as mixing them with grapes for a "spicy side dishes". There are recipes for polishing your sauerkraut in wine, with dried or pickled mushrooms. There are also kraut soups and salads. Yes, sauerkraut is popular.

Popular in many places, yes, but is it nutritious? Just think of an accident in long history. Did you know that sauerkraut was crucial in defeating the once feared "sailor's disease" scurvy? Scurvy is a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency "which generally reduced ship crews on long voyages" because they did not get fresh vegetables. In the late 18th century, British Captain James Cook discovered that sauerkraut, along with other vegetables and fruits, prevented and treated this disease. He began one of his journeys with a 7,860 pound stock of sauerkraut!

Even today, due to its vitamin and mineral content, nutritionists recommends raw sauerkraut.

In light of this, some may ask: "How to make sauerkraut?" Can it succeed at home? Yes, and the basic formula is very simple. Basically, if a person has access to fresh kale, they can make their own sauerkraut. Even a five-gallon frying pan is long enough for a family of four (depending on appetite, of course).

A German chef explains a basic recipe for "raw" sauerkraut in a five-liter bowl: "You need a bowl of glass, crockery, wood or earthenware; but do not use metal. If you have a vegetable slicer that is good, but if you do not, cut each cabbage in half and then slice the leaves into slices about one-eighth of an inch wide. Lengthen the chopped cabbage on the bottom of the pan and then use a mortar of some kind (slightly to squeeze the cabbage, but not with sharp points), wrap it tightly until it is about four inches thick. You can place a ruler or stick in the pot every ten inches marked to know when you have the right amount of diaper.

Now sprinkle a tablespoon of salt over this layer. Continue to wrap another 10 cm layer and sprinkle on top of the new layer with salt. Keep doing this until the container is almost full.

Place four whole cabbage leaves on top of the last layer of salt and then place a board on top (a piece of wood that is smaller than the opening at the top of the pot so that the board lies directly over the cabbage). Place a heavy stone on top of the board. For a pot of five liters, a stone of ten pounds or more is enough. When it boils, you can keep it warm somewhere, but when it turns into sauerkraut, store it in a cool place, perhaps in the basement.

“And now for the difficult, be patient! Cabbage takes about six weeks to turn into sauerkraut. At the end of this period, remove the upper cabbage leaves and also the upper rest. Then remove the first half inch or more (it gets darker than the rest of the sauerkraut) and below you you have enough sauerkraut for many meals.

There are many recipes for making "raw" sauerkraut that show their amazing versatility. In addition to adding salt to each layer, you can add cumin seeds, a combination of juniper berries, mustard and onion seeds, grape leaves or sliced ​​apples. Garlic can also be used, but in moderation.

Surprisingly easy to make, surprisingly versatile in its uses, surprisingly healthy - Sausages can be a food you can think of for your family.