1. Lay out all the ingredients and supplies listed and wash all the veggies. Prepare the veggies:

a.    Remove outer cabbage leaves and reserve. Cut head into quarters, remove core, and slice thinly with chef’s knife. Place in bowl, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt.

b.    If desired, peel beets and sweet potato. Using a food processor (FP) with large hole grating disk (or large holes of box grater), shred beets, sweet potato, carrots, parsnip, and apple in batches and transfer to bowl with the cabbage.

c.    Switch to FP slicing disk and thinly slice celery, or use a knife.

d.    Switch to S-blade, peel garlic and mince in the FP bowl with ginger, turmeric, and habanero pepper, if using. Add to cabbage mixture.

2. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons salt to taste over the vegetables. Massage veggies well with your hands to combine (wear gloves with habanero); let rest 15 minutes to draw juices from the vegetables.

3. Prepare your jars and lids by washing them in hot, soapy water and allowing them to air dry. Label the jars with masking tape including name of product, ingredients, start date, chill date (3 days), estimated finish date (2-3 weeks) and recipe source. You’ll thank me later 😉

4. Once vegetables are wilted by about half in volume, begin packing them firmly in the jars using the wooden tamper, your fist and/or a clean wooden spoon. Leave 2-inches headspace at the top of the jars for expansion during fermentation.

5. The natural brine formed by the vegetables and salt should rise over the veggies as you pack them in. All veggies should be submerged. Top the vegetables with a clean grape leaf or cabbage leaf, tucking the edges down into the sides of the jar so that the liquid rises over the leaf. 

6. Add lids to jars without tightening them fully. Place jars on moisture-proof tray or plate and set in a 60-75°F (16-24 C) spot out of direct sunlight, but convenient enough for you to keep an eye on. I like to keep fermentation projects on my kitchen counter during the winter and in our home’s interior hallway during the summer to maintain even temperature.

7. “Burp” the jars every day by loosening the lid and then retightening to release pent up carbon dioxide.  As the kraut begins to ferment you will see tiny bubbles rise in the jars.  Some brine may spill over onto the tray, this is normal. After 3 days, move the Goldenkraut to the fridge and chill for 2-3 weeks before eating. When it’s done is up to you! Goldenkraut should be tangy, pleasantly sour and not overtly salty when done. It should taste good to you. If it tastes raw or sharp, let it mellow a few days longer in the fridge and taste again. Enjoy within 3-6 months. 

Yield: 3-4 quarts

To serve: Add a generous forkful (about 2 tablespoons) to your plate with each meal and enjoy the appetite-sharpening flavor and probiotic digestive benefits!