NAME: _Baked Fish Italian Style
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
2 - 4 fish fillets (I used Australian Flathead x 4, you could use flake or something similar)
1 clove garlic
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup thickened cream
1 cup milk
2 tbsp cornflour
1/3 cup crumbled sharp cheddar
1/2 cup shredded mozarella
1/2 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cauliflower
1/2 cup bread crumbs
a few sprigs of fresh parsley
Fish Spice
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried garlic granules
2 bay leaves
2 tsp dried juniper berries
1 tsp salt
METHOD:
For Fish Spice:
Crumble the bay leaves, place in spice blender, add all the other ingredients, blend to fine powder. Place in an airtight jar for keeping.
For Main Dish:
Trim cauliflower to small florets, blanch in boiling water for 1 - 2 minutes. Use plenty of water to carry some of the pungency away. Trim and clean the fish fillets of bones and traces of skin. Lay cauliflower florets on the base of a glass-lidded casserole, lay the fish fillets on top, aiming to cover the surface from edge to edge.
In a saucepan put the olive oil and gently warm, peel and mash the garlic and drop into oil, allow to warm until garlic is translucent and fragrant, then add three teaspoons of fish spice and stir through. Whisk the cornflour in a few tablespoons of milk, add the rest of milk and cream to saucepan and increase the heat, stirring gently. When almost simmering, add the crumbled cheddar and stir until melted.
Remove pan from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then stir in the milk with the cornflour, mix well in, and pour all over the fish fillets. When the cream has run to the base of the dish, sprinkle the remaining two cheeses over the fish, and then sprinkle the breadcrumbs over that.
Put lid on casserole and place in moderate oven for around an hour. At one hour, check with a skewer that cauliflower and fish are close to done. Remove lid and turn oven to 210C - 220C. (hot)
Pprepare the rice (1 cup Basmati rice 2 cups water 1 tsp salt) bring to boil with the lid on, simmer until all water is absorbed, then stir and set aside.
Check the fish in the oven, cheese should be browned well. When it is, the dish is done.
SERVING:
Allow to cool for five minutes, then plate up atop a bed of rice, dress with a few parsley sprigs.
NOTES:
I used a bit more oregano than is usually called for in fish spice, but then I like oregano. Play with the fish spice recipe until you get it the way you want. Also, parsley - I generally pluck off just leaves from the sprigs, but that's because I expect my garnish to be eaten along with the dish...
ENJOY!
Sunday, 18 August 2013
Friday, 16 August 2013
Penne Marco Polo Mio
NAME: _Penne Marco Polo Mio
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
300g penne or similar
salt to boil
150g section of strassburg or gypsy ham
1 medium brown onion
2 - 3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup basil leaves or 1/3 cup dried basil
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup black dry salted olives
1/2 cup fine grated parmesan or romano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
a pinch ground cinnamon
METHOD:
Toast the pine nuts in a heavy frypan until golden to brown. Transfer to temporary bowl, set aside. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and return to low heat.
Put on enough salted water to boil the pasta in, (I generally drop the pasta in at the same time, it really doesn't make much difference, believe me.)
Chop the onion around 5mm chunks, add to pan, stir. Square up the Strassburg or ham section, cut into straws about 2mm - 3mm thick and 3cm - 5cm long. Add to pan and stir. Finely chop the garlic, add to pan and stir. Add half the basil, chilli, pepper, and cinnamon. Chop the sundried tomato into 5mm wide strips.
Check the pasta and stir to separate. Increase heat under frypan and stir in the broccoli. Continue to stir regularly until broccoli has turned deep green, add the olives, sundried tomato, and remaining basil, turn off heat and set aside.
As soon as pasta is just soft enough to eat, drain and quickly rinse, then return to pot and place back on medium heat. Stir in the fried mix and toasted pine nuts, add remaining olive oil and mix that in, then stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately.
SERVING:
Can be served as above, or toss a handful of washed spinach leaves through and then serve.
NOTES:
Pasta Marco Polo isn't precisely what this dish is, but it's close. Putanesca isn't precisely what this dish is, but it's close. Also feel free to substitute ham or any other such charcuterie meats for an experiment. Use strips of red capsicum or zucchini. The important thing is not to overpower the basil/cheese/oil/garlic combination too much. Mine was an "opportunistic" meal, made with what was to hand. Go wild!
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
300g penne or similar
salt to boil
150g section of strassburg or gypsy ham
1 medium brown onion
2 - 3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup basil leaves or 1/3 cup dried basil
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes in oil
1 cup broccoli florets
1/2 cup black dry salted olives
1/2 cup fine grated parmesan or romano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes
a pinch ground cinnamon
METHOD:
Toast the pine nuts in a heavy frypan until golden to brown. Transfer to temporary bowl, set aside. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and return to low heat.
Put on enough salted water to boil the pasta in, (I generally drop the pasta in at the same time, it really doesn't make much difference, believe me.)
Chop the onion around 5mm chunks, add to pan, stir. Square up the Strassburg or ham section, cut into straws about 2mm - 3mm thick and 3cm - 5cm long. Add to pan and stir. Finely chop the garlic, add to pan and stir. Add half the basil, chilli, pepper, and cinnamon. Chop the sundried tomato into 5mm wide strips.
Check the pasta and stir to separate. Increase heat under frypan and stir in the broccoli. Continue to stir regularly until broccoli has turned deep green, add the olives, sundried tomato, and remaining basil, turn off heat and set aside.
As soon as pasta is just soft enough to eat, drain and quickly rinse, then return to pot and place back on medium heat. Stir in the fried mix and toasted pine nuts, add remaining olive oil and mix that in, then stir in the grated cheese and serve immediately.
SERVING:
Can be served as above, or toss a handful of washed spinach leaves through and then serve.
NOTES:
Pasta Marco Polo isn't precisely what this dish is, but it's close. Putanesca isn't precisely what this dish is, but it's close. Also feel free to substitute ham or any other such charcuterie meats for an experiment. Use strips of red capsicum or zucchini. The important thing is not to overpower the basil/cheese/oil/garlic combination too much. Mine was an "opportunistic" meal, made with what was to hand. Go wild!
ENJOY!
Sunday, 11 August 2013
Masala Chicken Eggplant
NAME: _Masala Chicken Eggplant
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
2 cups eggplant flesh (see Method)
1/2 tin tomato pieces or 1 cup chopped Roma tomato
250g chicken pieces
chicken stock
1/2 brown onion
6 curry leaves
1 tsp harissa or minced chilli
1/2 tsp salt (more or less, to taste)
For Garam Masala:
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp seeds from green cardamom pods (about 2 -3 pods' worth)
1cm stick of cinnamon
METHOD:
For Garam Masala:
Crumble the cinnamon stick into a hot heavy pan, add the other spices, and roast until they're fragrant. Grind to powder, store remainder in airtight jar, keeps a month or two.
For Masala Chicken Eggplant:
Put stock, tomato pieces, and chicken pieces in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add a teaspoonful of the Garam Masala, the chilli, and the salt. Finely chop the onion, and add. Leave to simmer for an hour, then remove chicken from pot, remove all bones and skins, put just the meat back.
Eggplant should be peeled and cubed to around 1cm - 1.5cm size, soaked in plain water for around an hour before use. Add the eggplant to the chicken about 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
SERVING:
Serve as a side dish or as a main with basmati rice.
NOTES:
I make this as a part of a larger meal, you could double the quantities and make a full meal of this.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
2 cups eggplant flesh (see Method)
1/2 tin tomato pieces or 1 cup chopped Roma tomato
250g chicken pieces
chicken stock
1/2 brown onion
6 curry leaves
1 tsp harissa or minced chilli
1/2 tsp salt (more or less, to taste)
For Garam Masala:
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp seeds from green cardamom pods (about 2 -3 pods' worth)
1cm stick of cinnamon
METHOD:
For Garam Masala:
Crumble the cinnamon stick into a hot heavy pan, add the other spices, and roast until they're fragrant. Grind to powder, store remainder in airtight jar, keeps a month or two.
For Masala Chicken Eggplant:
Put stock, tomato pieces, and chicken pieces in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add a teaspoonful of the Garam Masala, the chilli, and the salt. Finely chop the onion, and add. Leave to simmer for an hour, then remove chicken from pot, remove all bones and skins, put just the meat back.
Eggplant should be peeled and cubed to around 1cm - 1.5cm size, soaked in plain water for around an hour before use. Add the eggplant to the chicken about 5 - 10 minutes before serving.
SERVING:
Serve as a side dish or as a main with basmati rice.
NOTES:
I make this as a part of a larger meal, you could double the quantities and make a full meal of this.
ENJOY!
Tandoori Roast Whole Cauliflower
NAME: _Tandoori Roast Whole Cauliflower
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 cauliflower head
2 tbsp crumbled paneer or similar white cheese (cottage cheese crumbles?)
For Tandoori Spice
3 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/3 stick cinnamon, broken in chunks
5 - 10 whole cloves
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic granules or powder
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried onion flakes
For Marinade
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp tandoori spice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup besan flour
For Chutney
2 cups mint leaves
1/2 a brown onion
1/3 dried red chili (or 1 tsp harissa)
1 lemon
1 large or 2 small ripe Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp besan flour
A couple pinches of salt
1 tsp honey
METHOD:
For Tandoori Spice:
Toast the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cloves in a small pan until they start to get fragrant and a bit toasted brown. Medium heat. Grind in spice grinder or powder in mortar and pestle along with granulated garlic and onion flakes. Add the powdered ingredients, mix well. Store whatever you don't need in an airtight jar in a cool dark place, it keeps for around a month or two.
For Tandoori Marinade:
Put garlic and salt in mortar and pestle or food processor and mince to paste. Add tandoori spice, besan flour, and buttermilk and mix well / process
Finally! The Cauliflower:
Make sure cauliflower is washed, clean, and dry. Remove the bottom part of stalk and all the leaves. Put a plastic bag in a bowl just big enough for the cauliflower to sit in upside down. The bag should be open and the edges rolled over the rim of the bowl so the bag in effect lines the bowl. Put the cauliflower into the plastic bag, and drizzle the marinade around so it gets in all the cauliflower. Lift the plastic bag out and makes sure to squeeze marinade so it covers every part of the cauliflower. Push as much air out of the bag as possible and twist it closed. Leave for at least an hour before removing from the bag and proceeding. Overnight is better.
Preheat oven to 190C - 200C. Put cauliflower upright in a baking tray lined with baking paper, place in oven lower half and roast for 45 - 60 minutes, until the stalk feels cooked when you prick it with a wooden skewer and the outside is brown.
Chutney:
Chop the onion and tomato finely. Put in food processor, squeeze lemon juice over, add other ingredients and blitz for a minute or so, until it forms a chunky, salsa-like consistency.
SERVING:
Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the cauliflower and sprinkle crumbled cheese over, let people carve off their chunk and spoon chutney over.
NOTES:
I pilfered part of this recipe from the 'net, but it's only vaguely like the original by now. %) I added the section on making Tandoori spice rather than relying on premade store-bought spice mixes, because that way you can adjust it to suit. I made this very mild compared to the original recipe, because I like the other flavours to come out.
I used buttermilk where yoghurt was called for - I like buttermilk and figured by adding a spot of besan flour would give the necessary consistency and also add a nice flavour note, and it does.
You can use lime in place of lemon for the chutney, I only had lemons and it's still bearable...
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
1 cauliflower head
2 tbsp crumbled paneer or similar white cheese (cottage cheese crumbles?)
For Tandoori Spice
3 tsp cumin seeds
3 tsp coriander seeds
1/3 stick cinnamon, broken in chunks
5 - 10 whole cloves
1/3 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp garlic granules or powder
1/3 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp dried onion flakes
For Marinade
4 garlic cloves
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
1 tbsp tandoori spice
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup besan flour
For Chutney
2 cups mint leaves
1/2 a brown onion
1/3 dried red chili (or 1 tsp harissa)
1 lemon
1 large or 2 small ripe Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp besan flour
A couple pinches of salt
1 tsp honey
METHOD:
For Tandoori Spice:
Toast the cumin, coriander, cinnamon and cloves in a small pan until they start to get fragrant and a bit toasted brown. Medium heat. Grind in spice grinder or powder in mortar and pestle along with granulated garlic and onion flakes. Add the powdered ingredients, mix well. Store whatever you don't need in an airtight jar in a cool dark place, it keeps for around a month or two.
For Tandoori Marinade:
Put garlic and salt in mortar and pestle or food processor and mince to paste. Add tandoori spice, besan flour, and buttermilk and mix well / process
Finally! The Cauliflower:
Make sure cauliflower is washed, clean, and dry. Remove the bottom part of stalk and all the leaves. Put a plastic bag in a bowl just big enough for the cauliflower to sit in upside down. The bag should be open and the edges rolled over the rim of the bowl so the bag in effect lines the bowl. Put the cauliflower into the plastic bag, and drizzle the marinade around so it gets in all the cauliflower. Lift the plastic bag out and makes sure to squeeze marinade so it covers every part of the cauliflower. Push as much air out of the bag as possible and twist it closed. Leave for at least an hour before removing from the bag and proceeding. Overnight is better.
Preheat oven to 190C - 200C. Put cauliflower upright in a baking tray lined with baking paper, place in oven lower half and roast for 45 - 60 minutes, until the stalk feels cooked when you prick it with a wooden skewer and the outside is brown.
Chutney:
Chop the onion and tomato finely. Put in food processor, squeeze lemon juice over, add other ingredients and blitz for a minute or so, until it forms a chunky, salsa-like consistency.
SERVING:
Drizzle a bit more olive oil over the cauliflower and sprinkle crumbled cheese over, let people carve off their chunk and spoon chutney over.
NOTES:
I pilfered part of this recipe from the 'net, but it's only vaguely like the original by now. %) I added the section on making Tandoori spice rather than relying on premade store-bought spice mixes, because that way you can adjust it to suit. I made this very mild compared to the original recipe, because I like the other flavours to come out.
I used buttermilk where yoghurt was called for - I like buttermilk and figured by adding a spot of besan flour would give the necessary consistency and also add a nice flavour note, and it does.
You can use lime in place of lemon for the chutney, I only had lemons and it's still bearable...
ENJOY!
Saturday, 10 August 2013
SoakTEd Walnutses
NAME: _SoakTEd Walnutses
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Walnuts (quantity to fill a jar of your choice, see METHOD)
Jar(s)
Olive oil
Salt
Water
METHOD:
Sterilise your jar and lid in boiling water, also sterilise a slightly smaller plastic lid that will fit inside the jar mouth to hold walnuts down from floating out of the brine. While you're dealing with hot water, make a brine of around 4tsp - 6tsp salt per litre of water, allow this to cool before using.
Shell as many walnuts as you'll need to fill your jar. (I've generally made this in 250mL jars, just enough for a TV snack for two people.) Separate the walnut halves and remove the dried membrane and discard.
Put walnut halves and other stray pieces into the jar, shake down to compact. Leave about half a centimetre at the top - depends on the lid you're going to use to hold walnuts down. Add the cooled brine to cover walnuts, put the smaller lid in upside down to hold the walnuts submerged, and put a few layers of cloth over the jar, or put the lid on but leave open.
Leave in a cool dark spot (pantry, kitchen cupboard, etc) for a few days. Check daily - if it begins to bubble or fine white yeast pinpricks star to form, the walnuts are done. Also, after four days, no matter whether bubbles or yeast have formed, consider the walnuts done.
Empty walnuts onto a teatowel or cloth, and shake vigorously to shed the excess brine. Don't wash them, instead spread them out on a baking tray, brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast at 180C for about 15 - 20 minutes, stirring them around once to ensure even roasting. You want them just starting to brown a bit.
SERVING:
Serve hot, eat right away. Or allow to cool, and use in cooking. Warning: These may cause you to explode with bliss. Seriously...
NOTES:
There's a lot of stuff online about "activating" nuts, so I thought I'd try it with a fermentation process, only I didn't want to fully ferment them, just start them. Four days is about the limit. I may try a bunch done fermented vegetable style, left for a month or so with a starter of lactobacillus. (From whey or sauerkraut liquid.)
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
Walnuts (quantity to fill a jar of your choice, see METHOD)
Jar(s)
Olive oil
Salt
Water
METHOD:
Sterilise your jar and lid in boiling water, also sterilise a slightly smaller plastic lid that will fit inside the jar mouth to hold walnuts down from floating out of the brine. While you're dealing with hot water, make a brine of around 4tsp - 6tsp salt per litre of water, allow this to cool before using.
Shell as many walnuts as you'll need to fill your jar. (I've generally made this in 250mL jars, just enough for a TV snack for two people.) Separate the walnut halves and remove the dried membrane and discard.
Put walnut halves and other stray pieces into the jar, shake down to compact. Leave about half a centimetre at the top - depends on the lid you're going to use to hold walnuts down. Add the cooled brine to cover walnuts, put the smaller lid in upside down to hold the walnuts submerged, and put a few layers of cloth over the jar, or put the lid on but leave open.
Leave in a cool dark spot (pantry, kitchen cupboard, etc) for a few days. Check daily - if it begins to bubble or fine white yeast pinpricks star to form, the walnuts are done. Also, after four days, no matter whether bubbles or yeast have formed, consider the walnuts done.
Empty walnuts onto a teatowel or cloth, and shake vigorously to shed the excess brine. Don't wash them, instead spread them out on a baking tray, brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, and roast at 180C for about 15 - 20 minutes, stirring them around once to ensure even roasting. You want them just starting to brown a bit.
SERVING:
Serve hot, eat right away. Or allow to cool, and use in cooking. Warning: These may cause you to explode with bliss. Seriously...
NOTES:
There's a lot of stuff online about "activating" nuts, so I thought I'd try it with a fermentation process, only I didn't want to fully ferment them, just start them. Four days is about the limit. I may try a bunch done fermented vegetable style, left for a month or so with a starter of lactobacillus. (From whey or sauerkraut liquid.)
ENJOY!
Wednesday, 31 July 2013
Definitive TEdAKRAUT Sauerkraut
NAME: _Definitive TEdAKRAUT Sauerkraut
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
This is a simple recipe but has a large number of notes, That's because I wanted to cover the "definitive" part of the name pretty thoroughy %) That said, it's simple, it's amazing, and it's delicious so you should give it a go!
Ingredients (see Notes)
Couple of large cabbages (around 6kg each with outer leaves etc)
Around 1/2 to 3/4 cup salt per cabbage.
Equipment (see Notes)
Bucket large enough to hold shredded cabbage.
Plate that fits the bucket internally
Around three 750ml jars per two kilos of cabbage
A weight of around 5kg, clean and non-reactive.
Teatowel(s)
METHOD:
Clean the cabbages by removing straggly outer leaves, cut into quarters or convenient size. Cut the core and a portion of the heavy white stems from each quarter by cutting from the heart of the cabbage to the stalk end on a diagonal. Cut the quarters into fine strips around 2mm to 4mm wide. You should finish up with about 4kg of shredded cabbage per head of cabbage, give or take half a kilo.
Start packing cabbage into the bucket in layers around 1cm a time, sprinkling with salt as you go. Try and pace yourself with the salt, err on the side of caution if anything. As you place the layers, periodically press them down to grind some salt crystals into the cabbage to start the leaching process.
When all the cabbage has been layered in with salt and packed down by hand as much as possible, place the plate on top in such a way that there's no air to get trapped under the plate (i.e. generally that means normal side up) and then place the weight on top. Assist the wight by gentle pressure, being careful not to crack the plate.
Cover with teatowels so as to exclude insects and large debris from falling into the bucket. Store in a place with relatively even temperature at about 18C - 22C and out of direct light. Liquid should be drawn out of the cabbage within a few hours, if it doesn't, remove the plate and pack down a bit more to press salt and cabbage together. If there's still no appreciable liquid after six hours, add a sprinkle of water and press down. Over the next two weeks or so, check regularly (every few days) for the following things:
Remove the weight and set down on a clean teatowel. Check the weight for mold. Remove the plate and check for mold. Wash the plate and the weight in clean hot water. Replace them, again pressing down manually to assist in settling the sauerkraut down. Check the liquid with a clean teaspoon. Is it beginning to taste sour? This should happen at around a week, depending on temperature. The warmer the average temperature, the sooner fermentation will take place. Always use a clean teaspoon, draw about half a teaspoon of liquid or less, just enough to taste. Don't return any liquid back to the bucket once you've drawn it. Always use a clean spoon and never take a second sample with a spoon that's been in your mouth.
Once the liquid begins to taste sour, keep repeating the above procedure for another week or two, until very few bubbles are released when pressing down the plate and weight, and the volume of the cabbage has reduced to around a quarter. At this stage, transfer with tongs to sterile jars, distribute the remaining liquid between the jars, close the lids loosely and store. Check for the next few weeks and once all fermentation has stopped, close the lids down tight. (see Notes)
SERVING:
Pretty much from the time it hits the jars it's ready to eat, but leaving it longer results in progressively better flavour. Serve as a side dish or adjunct, also prepare it by cooking with various flavourings (there will be a separate recipe called "Sauerkraut Preps" when I get around to it) and serve as a side dish. Once a jar has been opened, keep it in the fridge.
NOTES:
This sauerkraut is very much a "busk it and see" type approach. I'd never tried it before, checked a couple of recipes out, dimly remembered what our relatives on the farm in Austria used to do, back when I was a toddler, and gave it a shot. The result is just healthy and delicious and needs sharing.
Ingredients: I used large commercial cabbages, but I've translated that into rough weights. Cabbages I used generally weigh in at 5.5kg - 6.5kg, and the tough outer leaves and core make up between 1kg and 2kg (depending mostly on how much of the thick centre parts of the leaves I decide to forego) so estimate around 4kg - 4.5kg of product per cabbage. For each two kilos of cabbage it's appropriate to use around 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of salt, so I've loosely based my measurements around that. On the subject of salt, people recommend kosher salt, rock salt, and all sorts of specialty salts - I used slightly coarse cooking salt, and I think any pure salt without iodine or "free-flowing" chemicals would be fine.
Equipment: I have a 10 litre plastic bucket, which pretty much holds 8kg of cabbage, but the preferred utensil is a crock of some sort. That would be because the crock holds temperature steady, and that's one of our aims in this, to keep the temperature stable as possible. The plate I use, would generally be a disk of wood in the real sauerkraut crock, made of some wood that is compatible. I use a plate because it's non-reactive and allows me to exclude all the air. (see further down, the section "Mold.") The weight, similarly, needs to be non-reactive and compact, I use a plastic 5 litre oil bottle that some olive oil came in, filled with water. I recommend large plastic jugs, either filled with water or filled with some other heavy material.
The plate needs to be small enough to go down to the last 1/4 of the bucket or crock (if this is tapered - my bucket definitely is) without leaving too much gap for cannage to float up when it's near the top. The weight has to be the size of the plate or smaller, for much the same reason. The larger the diameter of the plate, the more weight you'll need on it to press down with the same force per square inch.
Method: Pretty straight-forward. I tend to add about a level teaspoonful of salt per layer, and then every 2kg of cabbage, if I have a bit of extra salt left over from the assigned 1/4 - 1/3 cup, I sprinkle that evenly over the last layer, then start on the next 2kg worth of layers. That way, the salt ends up pretty evenly distributed throughout the product.
Also, it's the natural yeasts and bacteria on the cabbage that will cause fermentation. If the cabbage has been grown in an unsanitary bed, you may wish to remove outer leaves and rinse the cabbage before proceeding to quartering it. Bear in mind that if you remove too may layers, A) your yield will go down, and B) you may be removing the very yeasts you want. Best is if you know the cabbage has been grown in a sanitary garden bed, and you only remove the few tough and ragged outer leaves.
The act of checking every few days forces liquid between the spaces of the product, which mixes the salt evenly throughout the bucket. The first fee days I tend to check twice a day, for the reason that it takes a while to build up enough liquid for mixing to take place. If you use more salt, then the liquid will be drawn out of the cabbage faster, but the fermentation process will take longer. If you use a lot more salt, you might be in for a six week wait before fermentation takes place, for example. That leaves time for salt-tolerant molds to grow. If you don't use enough salt to kill off rot organisms, the cabbage will rot and become foul and inedible. If the cabbage is very fresh and well ripened, then it will have a lot more moisture than a cabbage that has been in cold storage and picked young and immature, which changes the concentration of the salt as well. If you have to add water, do so by sprinkling it over the whole surface of the cabbage in the bucket.
Once it's in the jars you *could* close the lids down tight, but that runs the risk of a jar exploding if fermentation takes off again. I generally wait a few days and test - if air escapes when I unscrew the lid, it hasn't stopped fermenting yet. Once lids are tightened, keep this in a cool stable temperature, and once opened, keep in the fridge. Never use your fingers after the initial pack-down, never use a utensil that's been in your mouth, because those bacteria are what cause the nasty scum to form and spoil the sauerkraut.
Mold MOLD Mold: There are several things that can affect sauerkraut. I'll list them here because some of them are not pleasant.
1. White "scum" or mold appears on the surface of the liquid, plate, or weight. Sometimes this may happen, and it also happens to home preserved olives. It's a normal part of the olive process, and acceptable in sauerkraut too. In sauerkraut, though, it generally indicates that the tea towels let through local natural yeasts, and you may wish to use a finer weave of teatowels (or two layers) next time.
White scum is probably the only form of contaminant I'd allow, all contaminants listed after this point should be considered unsafe and be reason to dump the batch, thoroughly clean all the equipment, and try again.
2. Black mold appears on the surface of the cabbage, liquid, plate, or weight. This is an aerobic mold and can be seen if you leave a cabbage laying around uncovered and then peel layers apart. It can be washed off, but it means your equipment or the cabbage has air pockets surrounded by liquid. I'd tend to throw the batch if this happens, because it won't taste good or probably be good for you.
Black mold is a good indicator that your cabbage is cut too thick (forms air pockets) or the plate is concave on the underside, and that cabbage was perhaps not weighted down enough and consequently projected out of the liquid.
3. Cabbage is soft and/or slimy after processing. Some slime-producing mold has grown in the bucket. Throw out the batch, thoroughly clean (perhaps even in dilute bleach solution) all the equipment and tea towels, and start again/
4. Pink, green, blue, or other colours than white or black mold appear on the surface of the cabbage, liquid, plate, or weight. Proceed as for number 3 above. These are all molds whose spores float around in the environment, and all tend to produce toxic wastes that will, while diluted in the liquid, still be strong enough to cause nausea, serious illness, and in extreme cases can even cause death. Not worth testing each one out when a fresh cabbage and a bit of salt only cost a few dollars, is it?
Lastly - it's a fermentation process. That means that the ultimate aim is to get organisms to begin digesting the cabbage for us, then stop them from consuming the cabbage altogether before we get a chance to consume it. %) Temperature matters, too warm and nasties will grow and steal our cabbage, too cold and it will take ages to ferment and thus provide a longer window for opportunistic organisms to infect the product.
ENJOY!
INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS:
This is a simple recipe but has a large number of notes, That's because I wanted to cover the "definitive" part of the name pretty thoroughy %) That said, it's simple, it's amazing, and it's delicious so you should give it a go!
Ingredients (see Notes)
Couple of large cabbages (around 6kg each with outer leaves etc)
Around 1/2 to 3/4 cup salt per cabbage.
Equipment (see Notes)
Bucket large enough to hold shredded cabbage.
Plate that fits the bucket internally
Around three 750ml jars per two kilos of cabbage
A weight of around 5kg, clean and non-reactive.
Teatowel(s)
METHOD:
Clean the cabbages by removing straggly outer leaves, cut into quarters or convenient size. Cut the core and a portion of the heavy white stems from each quarter by cutting from the heart of the cabbage to the stalk end on a diagonal. Cut the quarters into fine strips around 2mm to 4mm wide. You should finish up with about 4kg of shredded cabbage per head of cabbage, give or take half a kilo.
Start packing cabbage into the bucket in layers around 1cm a time, sprinkling with salt as you go. Try and pace yourself with the salt, err on the side of caution if anything. As you place the layers, periodically press them down to grind some salt crystals into the cabbage to start the leaching process.
When all the cabbage has been layered in with salt and packed down by hand as much as possible, place the plate on top in such a way that there's no air to get trapped under the plate (i.e. generally that means normal side up) and then place the weight on top. Assist the wight by gentle pressure, being careful not to crack the plate.
Cover with teatowels so as to exclude insects and large debris from falling into the bucket. Store in a place with relatively even temperature at about 18C - 22C and out of direct light. Liquid should be drawn out of the cabbage within a few hours, if it doesn't, remove the plate and pack down a bit more to press salt and cabbage together. If there's still no appreciable liquid after six hours, add a sprinkle of water and press down. Over the next two weeks or so, check regularly (every few days) for the following things:
Remove the weight and set down on a clean teatowel. Check the weight for mold. Remove the plate and check for mold. Wash the plate and the weight in clean hot water. Replace them, again pressing down manually to assist in settling the sauerkraut down. Check the liquid with a clean teaspoon. Is it beginning to taste sour? This should happen at around a week, depending on temperature. The warmer the average temperature, the sooner fermentation will take place. Always use a clean teaspoon, draw about half a teaspoon of liquid or less, just enough to taste. Don't return any liquid back to the bucket once you've drawn it. Always use a clean spoon and never take a second sample with a spoon that's been in your mouth.
Once the liquid begins to taste sour, keep repeating the above procedure for another week or two, until very few bubbles are released when pressing down the plate and weight, and the volume of the cabbage has reduced to around a quarter. At this stage, transfer with tongs to sterile jars, distribute the remaining liquid between the jars, close the lids loosely and store. Check for the next few weeks and once all fermentation has stopped, close the lids down tight. (see Notes)
SERVING:
Pretty much from the time it hits the jars it's ready to eat, but leaving it longer results in progressively better flavour. Serve as a side dish or adjunct, also prepare it by cooking with various flavourings (there will be a separate recipe called "Sauerkraut Preps" when I get around to it) and serve as a side dish. Once a jar has been opened, keep it in the fridge.
NOTES:
This sauerkraut is very much a "busk it and see" type approach. I'd never tried it before, checked a couple of recipes out, dimly remembered what our relatives on the farm in Austria used to do, back when I was a toddler, and gave it a shot. The result is just healthy and delicious and needs sharing.
Ingredients: I used large commercial cabbages, but I've translated that into rough weights. Cabbages I used generally weigh in at 5.5kg - 6.5kg, and the tough outer leaves and core make up between 1kg and 2kg (depending mostly on how much of the thick centre parts of the leaves I decide to forego) so estimate around 4kg - 4.5kg of product per cabbage. For each two kilos of cabbage it's appropriate to use around 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup of salt, so I've loosely based my measurements around that. On the subject of salt, people recommend kosher salt, rock salt, and all sorts of specialty salts - I used slightly coarse cooking salt, and I think any pure salt without iodine or "free-flowing" chemicals would be fine.
Equipment: I have a 10 litre plastic bucket, which pretty much holds 8kg of cabbage, but the preferred utensil is a crock of some sort. That would be because the crock holds temperature steady, and that's one of our aims in this, to keep the temperature stable as possible. The plate I use, would generally be a disk of wood in the real sauerkraut crock, made of some wood that is compatible. I use a plate because it's non-reactive and allows me to exclude all the air. (see further down, the section "Mold.") The weight, similarly, needs to be non-reactive and compact, I use a plastic 5 litre oil bottle that some olive oil came in, filled with water. I recommend large plastic jugs, either filled with water or filled with some other heavy material.
The plate needs to be small enough to go down to the last 1/4 of the bucket or crock (if this is tapered - my bucket definitely is) without leaving too much gap for cannage to float up when it's near the top. The weight has to be the size of the plate or smaller, for much the same reason. The larger the diameter of the plate, the more weight you'll need on it to press down with the same force per square inch.
Method: Pretty straight-forward. I tend to add about a level teaspoonful of salt per layer, and then every 2kg of cabbage, if I have a bit of extra salt left over from the assigned 1/4 - 1/3 cup, I sprinkle that evenly over the last layer, then start on the next 2kg worth of layers. That way, the salt ends up pretty evenly distributed throughout the product.
Also, it's the natural yeasts and bacteria on the cabbage that will cause fermentation. If the cabbage has been grown in an unsanitary bed, you may wish to remove outer leaves and rinse the cabbage before proceeding to quartering it. Bear in mind that if you remove too may layers, A) your yield will go down, and B) you may be removing the very yeasts you want. Best is if you know the cabbage has been grown in a sanitary garden bed, and you only remove the few tough and ragged outer leaves.
The act of checking every few days forces liquid between the spaces of the product, which mixes the salt evenly throughout the bucket. The first fee days I tend to check twice a day, for the reason that it takes a while to build up enough liquid for mixing to take place. If you use more salt, then the liquid will be drawn out of the cabbage faster, but the fermentation process will take longer. If you use a lot more salt, you might be in for a six week wait before fermentation takes place, for example. That leaves time for salt-tolerant molds to grow. If you don't use enough salt to kill off rot organisms, the cabbage will rot and become foul and inedible. If the cabbage is very fresh and well ripened, then it will have a lot more moisture than a cabbage that has been in cold storage and picked young and immature, which changes the concentration of the salt as well. If you have to add water, do so by sprinkling it over the whole surface of the cabbage in the bucket.
Once it's in the jars you *could* close the lids down tight, but that runs the risk of a jar exploding if fermentation takes off again. I generally wait a few days and test - if air escapes when I unscrew the lid, it hasn't stopped fermenting yet. Once lids are tightened, keep this in a cool stable temperature, and once opened, keep in the fridge. Never use your fingers after the initial pack-down, never use a utensil that's been in your mouth, because those bacteria are what cause the nasty scum to form and spoil the sauerkraut.
Mold MOLD Mold: There are several things that can affect sauerkraut. I'll list them here because some of them are not pleasant.
1. White "scum" or mold appears on the surface of the liquid, plate, or weight. Sometimes this may happen, and it also happens to home preserved olives. It's a normal part of the olive process, and acceptable in sauerkraut too. In sauerkraut, though, it generally indicates that the tea towels let through local natural yeasts, and you may wish to use a finer weave of teatowels (or two layers) next time.
White scum is probably the only form of contaminant I'd allow, all contaminants listed after this point should be considered unsafe and be reason to dump the batch, thoroughly clean all the equipment, and try again.
2. Black mold appears on the surface of the cabbage, liquid, plate, or weight. This is an aerobic mold and can be seen if you leave a cabbage laying around uncovered and then peel layers apart. It can be washed off, but it means your equipment or the cabbage has air pockets surrounded by liquid. I'd tend to throw the batch if this happens, because it won't taste good or probably be good for you.
Black mold is a good indicator that your cabbage is cut too thick (forms air pockets) or the plate is concave on the underside, and that cabbage was perhaps not weighted down enough and consequently projected out of the liquid.
3. Cabbage is soft and/or slimy after processing. Some slime-producing mold has grown in the bucket. Throw out the batch, thoroughly clean (perhaps even in dilute bleach solution) all the equipment and tea towels, and start again/
4. Pink, green, blue, or other colours than white or black mold appear on the surface of the cabbage, liquid, plate, or weight. Proceed as for number 3 above. These are all molds whose spores float around in the environment, and all tend to produce toxic wastes that will, while diluted in the liquid, still be strong enough to cause nausea, serious illness, and in extreme cases can even cause death. Not worth testing each one out when a fresh cabbage and a bit of salt only cost a few dollars, is it?
Lastly - it's a fermentation process. That means that the ultimate aim is to get organisms to begin digesting the cabbage for us, then stop them from consuming the cabbage altogether before we get a chance to consume it. %) Temperature matters, too warm and nasties will grow and steal our cabbage, too cold and it will take ages to ferment and thus provide a longer window for opportunistic organisms to infect the product.
ENJOY!
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