Sweet Latvian Sauerkraut Recipes

SAUERKRAUT SOUP RECIPE (KAPUSTNYAK)

Steps:

• Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Add chopped bacon and sautee until browned then remove with a slotted spoon and reserve.
• Add finely chopped celery and onion. Saute until softened and golden (5 min).
• Add sliced carrots, potatoes, 1/4 cup quinoa (if using), 8 cups broth and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 15 min.
• Add 2-3 cups of well rinsed and drained sauerkraut and half of cooked bacon (I keep some for garnish), white beans with their juice, and 1 bay leaf and continue to cook until potatoes are tender (about 10 min). Season soup to taste (I added 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp Mrs Dash). Serve with fresh crusty bread.

SANDY'S SWEET SLOW COOKER SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Place sauerkraut, water, carrot, brown sugar, apple, sweet onion, caraway seeds, salt, and black pepper in a slow cooker. Cook on Low for about 7 hours; add kielbasa. Cook for one more hour.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT RECIPE (KVASHENAYA KAPUSTA)

Steps:

• Remove the outermost leaves of the cabbage, cut it into quarters and shred cabbage finely (use a mandolin to do this faster and discard the core.
• In a large silver bowl, place cabbage, carrots, 2 Tbsp sea salt and 1 Tbsp sugar and scrunch and knead it together really well for the juice to be released from the cabbage (4-5 min). You don't want it to be super juicy, just enough to cover the lettuce when you really pack it down in a jar.
• Scrunch it until juices start to come out.
• Fill a glass jar with the cabbage mixture and pack it in very tightly so that the juice from the cabbage covers the cabbage completely. You want a jar big enough to be filled only about 2/3 full so it has room to expand.
• Make a press over the top of the cabbage by pushing down with a plate (or the lid from a large sour cream container). Top with a small jar of water, a super clean rock or whatever else would make a good weight. Place the lid on the jar but do not tighten. Its a good idea to keep the bottle in the sink or over a dish since there is risk of it overflowing (this is also why we only fill it 2/3 full; it grows!). Let stand at room temp for 4 days or until sour. It will stop fermenting/rising when it's done.
• While it sits at room temperature, once each day: poke a few holes through the cabbage with the back of a wooden mixing spoon to release the gas that this process produces and pack the cabbage down tightly.
• After 4 days, refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be stored for a few weeks if kept very cold.

SWEET LATVIAN SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Drain the sauerkraut only if it is too salty, otherwise use it with its own liquid.
• Heat the lard in a large saucepan.
• Take a handful of the sauerkraut and squeeze it dry.
• Put it in the hot lard and fry it until the sauerkraut has brown edges.
• Add the sauerkraut, apples, bay leaf, onion (if using), caraway seeds and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar.
• Add water to just barely cover the sauerkraut.
• Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Add more sugar, if needed, gradually while the sauerkraut is cooking, tasting often.
• The sauerkraut should be pleasantly sweet-sour but not too sweet.

SWEET LATVIAN SAUERKRAUT RECIPE

Steps:

• Drain the sauerkraut only if it is too salty, otherwise use it with its own liquid. Heat the lard in a large saucepan. Take a handful of the sauerkraut and squeeze it dry. Put it in the hot lard and fry it until the sauerkraut has brown edges. Add the sauerkraut, apples, bay leaf, onion (if using), caraway seeds and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Add water to just barely cover the sauerkraut. Bring to a boil; lower the heat and simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Add more sugar, if needed, gradually while the sauerkraut is cooking, tasting often. The sauerkraut should be pleasantly sweet-sour but not too sweet.