Latin American Curtido (Cultured Vegetables)

1 head; 2-pounds, green cabbage

4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 medium hite onion
1 large or 2 medium carrots
2 !alapeno peppers
" teaspoons dried oregano
Weigh the head of cabbage. You want a head of cabbage that weighs approx. 2 lbs.
Begin by halving the cabbage north to south, so you are cutting through the core.
Notice the thick white v-shaped core. ollow the outside of the ! and cut away the core fro" each half.
#hen cut each half in half lengthwise so you have $ wedges. #ake one wedge and re"ove enough of the
inside section that you can flatten the outer section with your hand. %old it down with curved fingers and
ai" your knife perpendicularly. &lice off '()* ribbons. +epeat this with the internal section of the wedge
you re"oved, and with all of the wedges creating a cutting board full of confetti cabbage. -lop all of it
into a large "ixing bowl.
.dd a teaspoon of salt per / pound of whole cabbage weight. 0nce the right a"ount is deter"ined,
sprinkle it over the shredded cabbage.
-repare the other vegetables, but don1t add the" to the cabbage yet. #heir turn will co"e. &lice the
onion into thin half-"oon shapes. 2rate the carrot on the large holes of a box grater. Bisect the
3alapenos, see the intricate web of pith and seeds inside, scoop each half with a spoon to re"ove the web
then chop in a fine dice. &et these crafted vegetables aside.
#he pre-salting will have given the cabbage a chance to begin releasing water 4weeping5. With clean
hands and closed eyes, begin "assaging. 2rab hard, as if these were tight shoulder "uscles that needed
relaxing. 6ove though all the cabbage, "aking sure each strand "eets your grip. eel the crunchiness
soften. 7eep this up for at least 8 "inutes.
Now add the onion, carrot, 3alapeno and oregano and "ix together with your hands. Watch how the new
ingredients co"e in solo and how after the frolic given by your hands, the whole "ass beco"es an orange
and green fiesta.
-lace the "ixture in a fer"entation vessel 4a ' gallon glass wide "outh cookie 3ar or a large cera"ic
crock works well, wide "outh '-9uart 3ars work too : you1ll probably need two of these5. ;se your fist to
co"press the "ix into the botto" of the vessel. 6ake sure the vegetables are tightly co"pacted.
<f you are using '-9uart 6ason 3ars, place a clean / pint 3ar full of water on top of the fer"enting
vegetables to add weight. #his will further extract li9uid fro" the veggies. #he goal is to sub"erge the
vegetables in their own brine.
-lace the crock or 3ars on a counter or table near your nor"al walking path through the house. -ay the
vegetables several visits where you 3ust push down on the weight. Within )-'= hours, there should be
enough extracted li9uid in the container to cover the veggies co"pletely.
>over the vessel with a cloth to keep dust and other un-savories fro" getting inside and leave the crock or
3ars on the counter. .fter 8 days, peek inside, lift up the weight and have a taste. #his is very young
kraut. <t will likely still taste fresh with a "ild tang. Want it tangier? @eave it a couple "ore days.
0nce you are happy with the flavor shift it to the refrigerator. <f you have used a crock, transfer the
fer"ented vegetables to 3ars. <f it is in 3ars, leave it there. Aither way, be sure the brine covers the top of
the vegetables. #he kraut will continue to fer"ent and change flavor but at a "uch slower rate in the
refrigerator.
#reparation $ime% 'B "inutes
&ermentation time% 8 days
'ield% $- C cups