The Simple Things

Taking time to live well
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Photograph by Ali Allen

Recipe | Christmas Kraut

Iona Bower November 23, 2024

It’s worth taking time in late November or early December to make this good-for-your-gut sauerkraut with a festive twist

MAKES APPROX 1kg

1 red cabbage, quartered then finely shredded
1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
Zest and juice of 1 orange or 2 clementines
150g fresh or dried cranberries
2 tsp mixed spice
2g sea salt for every 100g
12 fresh bay leaves

1 Put the cabbage and ginger in a large bowl, then grate in the zest of your orange or clementines. Halve the fruit and squeeze in the juice. Next, add the cranberries and spices.

2 Weigh the mixture and add 2g sea salt per 100g veg/fruit mix. Fold the salt through to distribute. Then, scrunch together to help soften the cabbage and massage the salt in.

3 Spoon the juicy cabbage mix into a 1kg jar, or a mixture of smaller jars, adding it little by little and packing down each layer as you go. It’s important to exclude as much air as possible. Pour any leftover brine in the bowl over the cabbage.

4 Use the bay leaves (overlapping them) to fully cover the compacted cabbage. Add a pinch of salt to the leafy cap and fill the jar right to the top with water. Screw an airtight lid onand place it on a plate (to catch any juices that bubble over during fermentation). Transfer it to a dry spot, at room temperature, out of direct sunlight.

5 Let the kraut ferment for two weeks at room temperature, then eat straightaway, or store at room temperature in a dark, cool place for up to 1 year (check occasionally and top up with an added pinch of salt and water to come right to the top of the jar, if needed).

Cook’s note: Refrigerate once open. This kraut will happily keep for weeks in the fridge.

This recipe for Christmas Kraut is from our December Home Economics feature, which also includes recipes for an upside-down turkey with all the trimmings, Boxing Day pasties, winter Waldorf salad, turkey, lemon and thyme risotto, turkey skin crackling and parsnip skin crisps. The recipes are by Rachel de Thample and the photography is by Ali Allen.

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InEating Tagsfermented, kraut, cabbage, issue 150
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Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025

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See the sample of our latest issue here

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Feb 27, 2025
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The Simple Things is published by Iceberg Press

The Simple Things

Taking time to live well

We celebrate slowing down, enjoying what you have, making the most of where you live, enjoying the company of of friends and family, and feeding them well. We like to grow some of our own vegetables, visit local markets, rummage for vintage finds, and decorate our home with the plunder. We love being outdoors and enjoy the satisfaction that comes with a job well done.

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