by Chie

Savoy cabbage from Sunbreak Farm.

I’d been wanting to make my own sauerkraut for a long time and here was a great opportunity: our dear neighbors gave us a couple of heads of green cabbage from the farmers market the other day. A sweet gift from sweet and thoughtful craft folk who make beautiful, loving sterling silver jewelry. My son thinks the world of them.

I already had half a head of red cabbage and another small head of green waiting to be used. So I opened one of my standby cookbooks, Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon, to find a recipe I’d looked at many times. It seems so simple: julienne cabbage then muddle it with salt.

My kindergartner was curiously excited to be a part of the chopping and he asked me to set him up.  Away he sliced at the red  cabbage as I sliced the green. He’s been using a real knife since he was about three years old. I suppose it’s the ease that I have with knives or the way I trust him with it. He is so responsible and uses it with careful strokes. His skills amaze me at times.

Now we have a gallon jar half filled with sauerkraut and waiting to be enjoyed. Soon it will be ready, like the pink sauerkraut my sweet mother-in-law made recently with a friend. They used a good portion of red cabbage (or purple, as my son calls it), as we did.

Julienne Soup

My mom told me that one of her favorite midnight snacks during college was sauteed
cabbage with onions and ham. Cabbage is comforting in that way. It’s a versatile veggie
that can be used in soups, salads, raw, steamed, braised, fermented…you name it.

Here is a simple soup featuring cabbage and mirepoix (the fragrant base of onion, carrots and
celery that add richness to a dish)  that my mom used to make. This is my version.

1 onion, sliced
½ head green cabbage, sliced
2 medium carrots, julienne
5 ribs of celery, julienne
3 cloves garlic, sliced
3 T butter
fresh thyme
2 bay leaves

Celtic sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Saute the onions in the butter. When translucent, add the carrots and celery. Saute until fragrant.

Add and saute the cabbage and garlic until wilted. Cover with broth and add the herbs.

Simmer for a few minutes and adjust taste with sea salt and pepper.