Sauerkraut with Fennel
From The Kitchen · a prep-ahead staple
Sauerkraut is fermenting at its most elemental, cabbage and salt, nothing more. Fennel adds a delicate, anise sweetness that makes it feel a little more considered. Give it time; the longer it goes, the deeper and rounder it turns.
Scaled from the original recipe, sizing up or down is proportional, so taste and adjust the salt, acid & spice.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded (reserve one outer leaf)
- 1 small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced
- 1–1½ teaspoons fine sea salt (about 2% of the vegetables’ weight)
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)
Method
- Combine the cabbage, fennel, salt, and caraway in a large bowl.
- Massage firmly 5–10 minutes, until the cabbage wilts and releases its liquid.
- Pack tightly into a clean jar, pressing until the brine covers the vegetables.
- Top with the reserved leaf and a weight to keep everything submerged.
- Cover loosely and ferment at cool room temperature 1–3 weeks, tasting weekly.
- When it reaches the sourness you like, seal and refrigerate.
Storage: Keeps up to 6 months refrigerated.
Gina's tip
Taste as it goes: one week gives a bright, mild kraut; three weeks gives something deep and properly sour. There is no wrong answer, only your preference.
A spoonful of good kraut alongside a rich meal is an old, wise habit, it wakes up the plate and sits easy afterward.
I hope this recipe finds a place in your kitchen as it has in mine. Enjoy!
Gina