Fermenting Sauerkraut

To begin what I aim to do here I had to get cabbage

As you can see, by the title, I'm going to talk to you about sauerkraut, and I have some fermenting as I type.

Yes, my writing is atrocious! You try writing with chalk on a wee label.

Back to the sauerkraut.

Sauerkraut is the perfect accompaniment with beer-braised brats or a Montreal smoked meat sandwich, and the homemade stuff is far, far superior to the stuff you buy in a store.  Sauerkraut is often the first fermentation project people take on, as it's easy, requires very little special equipment, and the results are always delicious.  All you need is shredded cabbage some salt and a crock or mason jar (I used two mason jars).  The cabbage releases its own liquid, thus creating it's own brine.  Leaving it submerged (very important step, which I'll speak about later) for several days or weeks, the cabbage will ferment into the crunchy and sour condiment, Sauerkraut.
The fermentation process is called lacto-fermentation which is when the bacteria (in this case Lactobacillus) converts the sugars in the cabbage into lactic acid; this is a natural preservative that stops the growth of harmful bacteria.
You might be wondering why we ferment Sauerkraut......well I can answer that.  Besides preserving the cabbage it transforms it into something delicious and it gives the cabbage some extra health benefits i.e. fermented sauerkraut contains a lot of the same healthy probiotics as a bowl of yoghurt.
As you can see I have done a fairly small batch, which means that the minimum fermenting time is three days, although it will continue to ferment and become tastier for days and days after that. In terms of "doneness" the best way is to keep tasting until it tastes good to you.  It will be safe to taste at every step.
The following is the recipe I used

Ingredients
1 medium head green cabbage
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 tablespoon crushed chillies

Method

1. Clean all utensils including the mason jar or jars
2. Slice the cabbage: Discard the whilted, limp outer leaves. cut the cabbage into quarters and trim out the core. Slice each quarter down its length so you are left with 8 wedges. Now slice each, crosswise, into very thin slices
3. Combine cabbage and salt by rubbing it in, in a large bowl. Add the cararway seeds and chillies and mix together.
4. Pack the cabbage into the jar or jars. You will need to push the cabbage down every so often until the cabbage is submerged by its liquid.
5. Put the lid on and leave to ferment, checking and tasting it as you go.

Well that's sauerkraut.  I'll be back and let you know how it turns out.

Update:

My sauerkraut has turned out beautifully. It's delightfully sour, spicy and flavourful. Though I have to be honest its a bit stinky, quite vinegary, a bit like really vinegary potato chips, possibly kettle chips. Anyway it's lovely and I'll be having it on a Smoked meat sandwich layer today

Signing off
ThrashMetalChef

Fruit Hunter

Good afternoon everyone!!  You are about to watch two videos that I have created (I apologise for the poor quality and editing but it's not my forte).  I will get better!

What I decided to do was select a fruit and tell you about it and what I would do with it.  Enjoy

https://youtu.be/xljee6YlN54

Now a little bit about the mango:

The mango is a juicy stone fruit and is native to South Asia from where it has been distributed worldwide to become one of the most cultivated fruits in the tropics.  It is also the national fruit of India, Pakistan, and the Phillippines, and the national tree of Banglasdesh.

If you ever go for a curry and they have Mango Lassi on the drinks menu, I urge you to try some.  You'll thank me for it!

Mango Chutney Recipe: Alton Brown

Ingredients

4 pounds fresh mangos, ripe but not too soft, peeled3 tablespoons vegetable oil1 teaspoon chile flakes2 1/2 cups medium dice red onion1/4 cup minced fresh ginger1 cup small dice red bell pepper8 ounces unsweetened pineapple juice4 ounces cider vinegar1/2 cup brown sugar1 1/2 tablespoons curry powderKosher salt and fresh ground white pepper1/2 cup raisins or golden raisins1/2 cup toasted, roughly chopped macadamia nuts

Directions

Cut the mango flesh away from the pit. The pit is shaped similar to an obelisk, so you'll end up with 2 large pieces and 2 smaller pieces from each mango. Roughly chop the flesh.

In a saute pan heat the oil and add the chile flakes. Be careful not to burn the chile, just toast to flavor the oil. Add the onions and sweat until soft. Add the ginger and bell pepper and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Finally add the mango and cook for 1 more minute.

In a separate bowl, combine the pineapple juice, vinegar, sugar, and curry powder. Add this mixture to the pan. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a bare simmer and reduce for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently. Season with salt and pepper. Add the raisins and the nuts and transfer to another container over an ice bath. I used a mild yellow curry powder, but if you want it hotter go for red.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mango-chutney-recipe.html?oc=linkback

I can't wait to try this recipe.

Signing off

ThrashMetalChef

Good food

Last one for today!

I made this. It's Scottish Cranachan. I changed it up a little from the original recipe I followed, by adding whisky when toasting the oats. I made this a few weeks ago, and it went down a treat with my family.

This I found at theendlessmeal.com/lemongrass-grilled-chicken-with-sriracha-mayo this is a great site and you gotta check it out.

Signing off

ThrashMetalChef

First post

I guess I should start by telling you why I've started a blog.....well it's something I've been interested in doing for a while now. Hopefully I'll be able to emulate lovenadlemons.com (which you should check out) because the photos are superb and its full of amazing recipes and is just great.

I am training to be a chef so this blog will be mostly about that, but I am a huge metal fan so there may be a little about that too!
As it stands I am working in Fionn MacCool's in Toronto, I'm gaining some experience while I study. I guess I've always enjoyed cooking and I've been influenced by my nana who was a great cook.
People ask what kind food do you like to cook? My answer is simple I want to make big hearty, full of flavour dishes. Family style cooking. I have very little interest in fine dining.

Here's a quote by my favourite chef'

'Real food means big-flavoured, unpretentious cooking. Good ingredients made into something worth eating. Just nice, uncomplicated food.' Nigel Slater

Anyone that reads this, I hope that you will give me feedback on it so I can improve it.

Signing off
ThrashMetalChef