In the fall, canning pots are tucked away and our attention focuses on apple cider, and holiday preparations. For some of us, it also turns to fermentation, a preservation method that suits that last gasp from the garden: what’s sturdy and abundant. These are some of the most revered umami-delivery vehicles: salumi and charcuterie, vinegar, giardiniera, sour pickles and kimchi.
I’m partial to Sauerkrauben, my own mashup of two classic fermented foods: sauerkraut and sauerruben. The former is familiar to many, and revered by Baltimoreans who serve sauerkraut at Thanksgiving dinner. Sauerruben applies the same method and concept to the underappreciated turnip. Sauerkrauben offers the best of the two, combining silky fermented cabbage with the crisp bite of turnip.
As with all preserving projects, Sauerkrauben requires careful knife work. Cut the cabbage in half, core it, then slice each half into thin slivers. Grate the peeled turnips on the large holes of a box grater. This ensures that the two will ferment at the same rate.
Mix in salt; a liquid brine will develop – especially quickly when the vegetables are very fresh. That’s all it takes to start fermentation: a little salt, the beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus) in the air around us, and time. Use a dinner plate to keep the mixture submerged under the brine: Cabbage and turnips exposed to air will brown quickly, and although the result tastes the same, it is not visually appealing.
Keep the vegetables submerged during the next, longer, fermentation, too. Pack the cabbage and turnip mixture firmly into jars and divide the accumulated liquid between them. Fill and carefully close a zip-top bag with a briny salt solution (2 cups of water plus 2 tablespoons of kosher salt) and press the bag into the fermenting jar, filling all the space between the Sauerkrauben and the top of the jar, leaving nothing exposed to the air. In case the bag breaks, the brine inside it will not water down your Sauerkrauben mixture.
Fermentation can be active, sending a lavalike spill of purplish juice up and out of the top of the jar. Plan accordingly and place the jars inside a pie dish or any other catch basin. Tuck the jars into a corner of the kitchen that is dark and cool. You can stash your fermentation project in the guest room closet – but don’t forget it, says the voice of experience.
In three or four days, you should see evidence of fermentation at work: small bubbles rising from the bottom of the jar. Start smelling the Sauerkrauben every day once you see the bubbles. The sharp, acrid smell will give way to a sour, yeasty scent.
Take a small taste on Day Seven, and every day after that. Sampling will help you understand when it is fully fermented (around Day 14). Some people prefer more tang and crisper vegetables; others like a velvety texture and mellow flavor after long fermentation. Once it’s to your liking, remove the brine bag and cap the jar, then store in the refrigerator, where the Sauerkrauben will keep for several weeks. You’ll have a welcome side dish on hand when Thanksgiving comes around.
Sauerkrauben
2 servings quarts
You’ll need 2 clean quart jars, preferably wide-mouth.
Make ahead: The cabbage-turnip mixture needs to be salted overnight. The Sauerkrauben needs 2 weeks to ferment. The Sauerkrauben can be refrigerated for a month or more.
1head red cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds)
5turnips (21/2 pounds total), peeled
5tablespoons kosher or pickling salt
Halve the cabbage and discard the core. Cut each piece in half again and slice into thin slivers. Use a box grater or the grating disk on a food processor to grate the turnips. Mix the cabbage and turnips together in a large, nonreactive bowl.
Sprinkle the salt over the vegetables and mix, using your hands to completely distribute it. Wait for a briny liquid to develop; this can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour, depending on how fresh the vegetables are. Then place a plate on top of the mixture to keep the vegetables submerged. Leave, covered, on the counter overnight.
The next day, pack the vegetable mixture into the two jars and divide the liquid between them. Use your fist or a broad spoon to press the vegetables down; that will raise the level of the brine.
Fill a sturdy zip-top bag with a brine solution of 2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of kosher or pickling salt. Seal, leaving enough air in the bag so it can be manipulated. Press the bag into the top of the jar of Sauerkrauben, filling all the space at the top of the jar with the water-filled bag. This will keep oxygen away from the cabbage, helping to retain its bright purple color. If the bag breaks or leaks, the Sauerkrauben mixture will not be diluted (with plain water). Place the jars on a baking sheet on the counter; as the mixture ferments, it might bubble up.
Leave the two jars in a dark, cool corner for 2 weeks, then taste and see whether the Sauerkrauben has fermented sufficiently. If you’re satisfied, transfer the jars to the refrigerator, halting the fermentation.
Barrow’s first cookbook, “Mrs. Wheelbarrow’s Practical Pantry: Recipes and Techniques for Year-Round Preserving” (W.W. Norton), will be published in November. She blogs at www.mrswheelbarrow.com.
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