Alissa Timoshkina’s fermented slaw
Alissa Timoshkina’s second book, Kapusta, takes us on a journey across Eastern Europe, celebrating the humble vegetables that have shaped her cooking. Here, she’s shared with us her ‘master’ recipe for ferments with plenty of Halen Môn Pure Sea Salt, of course.
From Alissa: ‘Fermented food is the stuff of life in Eastern Europe. It is one of the oldest forms of ‘cooking’ and preserving food in many parts of the region, one that dates back at least to the 10th century. It encapsulates the food philosophy of my book perhaps better than any other dish or cooking technique in this book. By opening a jar of fermented food we gain access to the culinary, the cultural and the political history of Eastern Europe.’
INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 x 1 litre jar
- 1/2 white cabbage, shredded
- 1 large cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and grated
- 1 large red (bell) pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons Halen Môn Pure Sea Salt in a Finer Flake
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 2 bay leaves
METHOD
- Place the thinly sliced and grated vegetables in a large bowl with the salt and massage for 10
minutes or so, taking breaks. Add the allspice berries, dill and bay leaves, and give it another
good mix. - Then follow Alissa’s ‘master’ recipe for ferments below.
- Place the thinly sliced and grated vegetables in a large bowl with the salt and massage for 10
minutes or so, taking breaks. Add the allspice berries, dill and bay leaves, and give it another
good mix - Pack in the cabbage as tightly as you can. You don’t want any air pockets forming as this will be a breeding ground for harmful bacteria. Using your fist or the end of a rolling pin will do the trick. Make sure to leave about 3cm (11/4in) space before the rim of the jar, as the cabbage will gradually expand, resulting in a lot of spillage. When you have completed the final layer, place the reserved outer cabbage leaves on top, and press down with something heavy like a stone or a freezer bag filled with water.
- Place the jar into a bowl or on top of a plate, to catch any of the escaping brine. The cabbage will make its magical transformation into sauerkraut in 7–14 days (keep it out of direct sunlight), depending on the room temperature. Make sure you check in on it every day, opening the jar, and pressing the cabbage back into the brine if needed. At this point you can transfer it to the fridge to slow down the fermentation process or, for a more vintage quality, leave the jar out on the shelf and it will mature gracefully.
Huge thanks to Alissa Timoshkina and her publishers Quadrille for the recipe and images by Laura Edwards for Kapusta.
