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Pioneer Sauerkraut
This
sauerkraut is simple to make whether you want to make 1 pint or 100
quarts. The entire fermentation process takes place inside the canning
jar. No heat or sealing of jars is necessary.
This
recipe came from my Grandmother and has been passed on for generations.
Before we tried this recipe, we fermented sauerkraut in crocks in the
kitchen. The kraut would start working, bubble up and leak onto the floor.
Mold would develop on top and need to be skimmed off. By the time the
sauerkraut was ready to eat, we had lost our appetite for it. This kraut
avoids this messy, smelly process.
The first
time we ate this sauerkraut we noticed a wonderful change in our bowel
movements. Because no heat is used in the process, the finished sauerkraut
is teaming with friendly bacteria for the intestinal tract. We enjoy this
sauerkraut often and never tire of its taste. It's a great tonic to
revitalize the digestive processes. To receive maximum benefits from the
kraut, eat it raw in salads or sandwiches or heat it just enough to warm
it.
YIELD: 10 pounds of cabbage
(uncut) yields 4 quarts kraut
Salt (use unrefined,
non-iodized salt if possible)
1 teaspoon per pint
2 teaspoons per quart
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Have ready clean canning jars,
lids and rings.
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Chop or shred cabbage finely.
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Pack cabbage tightly in jars
using wooden dowel. Fill jars only to shoulders to allow room for
cabbage to work.
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Add salt and pour hot water over
cabbage, leaving 1 inch of head space. The hot water gets the action
started.
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Wipe rims and screw lids onto
jars. No need to process.
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Wipe jars clean and store in
cool place for up to a year.
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Ready to begin using in two
weeks.
Water may
spew out as the kraut works. Lay towels under the jars as a precaution.
This kraut mellows out as the seasons progress. Be cautious when opening a
jar - this kraut is teaming with life and may spew liquid. We put a bowl
under the jar when we open it.
Everyday Green Drink
Frothy and Refreshing
2 cups unsweetened pineapple
juice or Maple Lemonade (recipe follows)
4 handfuls of washed greens
(stems removed)
Makes 2 servings
Place
ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately. For a
smoother drink, blend longer or strain. Green Drink will separate
if allowed to set and must be stirred or blended again.
Our favorite
greens are parsley and spinach. We have also added leaf lettuce, alfalfa
and clover sprouts, as well as wild greens like chickweed and sheep
sorrel. Any edible green will work, but the milder greens taste best.
The amount of
greens does not need to be exact. For example, to make four servings, we
use one large bunch of parsley or a bunch of spinach and 4 cups of juice.
Divide ingredients in half and blend in two sessions.
Maple Lemonade
juice of one lemon (about 1/4
cup)
1/4 to 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
water to make 1 quart
Mix
ingredients together and use as a base for Green Drink, instead of
pineapple juice.
Fresh Applesauce
Peel and
quarter 4 apples. Put in food processor or blender with a little apple
juice or water. Pulse until sauce forms. Add a ripe banana for creaminess.
Flavor with cinnamon and vanilla. Eat right away before sauce turns brown.
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