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Kale Scallion Sauerkraut

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Prep Time 20 minutes
Fermentation Time 10 days
Course Fermented vegetable
Makes 2 quarts/liters

Ingredients

  • 4 lbs. (2 kg) green cabbage about 1 medium or 2 small heads
  • 1/2 cup chopped kale about 3-4 large leaves
  • 3 scallions green onions
  • 2 Tbsp. (35 mL) sea salt
  • 1 tsp. (5ml) caraway seeds

Instructions
 

Prep & Season Veg

  • Clean vegetables to wash dirt off. Remove any dark green tough outer leaves from cabbage and compost or use for another purpose.
  • Slice a cabbage head in half lengthwise, so that stem keeps each half together. Shred each half into ¼” ribbons using v-slicer, mandoline, or chef’s knife.
  • Add shredded cabbage to a large mixing bowl.
  • Sprinkle salt over cabbage.
  • Chop onions into 1/8" slices, discarding the roots/stems. Add to bowl.
  • Remove spine of larger kale leaves. Roughly chop leaves and add to bowl.
  • Add caraway seeds.
  • Squeeze or pound the mixture with clean hands or a kraut pounder for about 5 minutes to break more cell walls and encourage more water to come out of vegetables.
  • Add mixture to glass jar(s) or a ceramic crock.
  • Make sure to get every last drop of brine that has formed in bowl!
  • Pack down contents so that surface is even and submerged in brine.

Ferment

  • If using a crock, place an inverted plate that fits inside the diameter. If using jars, add a weight such as a glass bottle filled with water, or even a zip top bag filled with water. Or use small-batch fermentation weights and lids to secure the jar(s).
  • There should be enough brine to completely cover the contents when weighed down.
  • If not using fermentation tools, cover container with a dish towel or tea towel to keep out flies and dust. Secure with a rubber band, twist ties or elastic strap. Stash it in a cool, dark place– a cellar, under the stairs, or under the sink in the kitchen.
  • Cabbage will start to ferment within a few days. It’s up to you how long you want to keep it fermenting. Fermentation time varies with the seasons and the climate.
  • Check on it every few days. Yeasts or mold may form on the surface. Remove weight and lid, and wash them with warm soapy water. Scoop out any surface mold, getting as much as you can. Don’t worry if you don’t get it all. Then stir the contents and re-pack the surface. Any residual mold will quickly be killed in the acidic environment of the brine. The contents are safe under the brine.
  • When taste and texture are to your liking, move to the refrigerator (aka "fermentation pause button"). Sauerkraut will last in the refrigerator several months.