Rachael’s Christmas Kraut
I wish you could SMELL it! This is an amazing alternative Christmas Dinner side dish that will give your guests the chance to sample some delicious fermented festive fruits and veggies. It also makes great edible gifts when divided into smaller jars.
This festive ferment will be a big people pleaser as an 'alternative' side dish at Christmas lunch.
Ingredients
- 1/2 white cabbage (shredded)
- 1/2 red cabbage (shredded)
- 300 g fresh cranberries
- 5 cm piece of fresh ginger (grated)
- zest & juice of 1 orange
- zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp ground mixed spice
- 3 tsp sea salt
- cinnamon sticks, 2 x star anise, 10 x cloves
Instructions
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Mix all the ingredients apart from the cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves into a large mixing bowl. Stir to coat all of the vegetables with the salt and then massage until the veggies start to break down and water starts to come out (due to the salt).
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Then, place all of the ingredients into a glass 1.5L Kilner type jar and press them down VERY firmly, packing them in tight. There should be water/brine on top of the veggies. If you need to, you can make up a 2% brine solution to pour on top, so that no veggies are poking out the top. (20g salt to 1000ml water).
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Place something heavy on top, so as to make sure that all the veggies are submerged and then close the lid.
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Leave to ferment for 4 weeks, and then taste. If it's not quite sour enough for you yet, leave for another few days and try it again. Be careful when you open the jar - there will be a lot of gas to release, and can often spray out!
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Once ready, store in the fridge or divide up into smaller jars and give friends and family a little jar - perfect as an edible Christmas gift. Alternatively, it will last for a number of months in the fridge.
