Ukrainian Red Cabbage Kapusta Food

UKRAINIAN KOBASA KAPUSTA

Steps:

• Remove the skin from the kobasa, and cut into bite sized pieces. Place in a bowl.
• Dice onion and place in a bowl.
• Crush fennel seed using a mortar and pestle.
• Drain and throughly rinse the sauerkraut using a colander. I like to use some boiling water for this.
• Heat a frying pan over medium heat, and add the oil.
• Add the onions and seasonings, and cook until browned (about 5 minutes).
• Add the cut up kobasa and cook until nicely browned (about 6-8 minutes).
• Add the drained and rinsed sauerkraut and cook until heated through (about 8-10 minutes).
• Remove from heat and place in a serving bowl. This is a great main course, or side dish.
• ENJOY!

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT RECIPE (KVASHENAYA KAPUSTA)

Steps:

• Remove the outermost leaves of the cabbage, cut it into quarters and shred cabbage finely (use a mandolin to do this faster and discard the core.
• In a large silver bowl, place cabbage, carrots, 2 Tbsp sea salt and 1 Tbsp sugar and scrunch and knead it together really well for the juice to be released from the cabbage (4-5 min). You don't want it to be super juicy, just enough to cover the lettuce when you really pack it down in a jar.
• Scrunch it until juices start to come out.
• Fill a glass jar with the cabbage mixture and pack it in very tightly so that the juice from the cabbage covers the cabbage completely. You want a jar big enough to be filled only about 2/3 full so it has room to expand.
• Make a press over the top of the cabbage by pushing down with a plate (or the lid from a large sour cream container). Top with a small jar of water, a super clean rock or whatever else would make a good weight. Place the lid on the jar but do not tighten. Its a good idea to keep the bottle in the sink or over a dish since there is risk of it overflowing (this is also why we only fill it 2/3 full; it grows!). Let stand at room temp for 4 days or until sour. It will stop fermenting/rising when it's done.
• While it sits at room temperature, once each day: poke a few holes through the cabbage with the back of a wooden mixing spoon to release the gas that this process produces and pack the cabbage down tightly.
• After 4 days, refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be stored for a few weeks if kept very cold.

KAPUSTA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat; saute onions and mushrooms until tender.
• In a medium saucepan over high heat, boil cabbage for 10 minutes.
• In a 9 x 13 inch baking dish combine onions, mushrooms, cabbage, sauerkraut, sugar, thyme, salt and pepper; mix well. Dot remaining 2 tablespoons butter on top. Cover.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes.

RUSSIAN BRAISED CABBAGE

Steps:

• Shred the cabbage into thin slices using mandolin or by cutting it in half or into quarters, then finely shredding each piece with the flat end of the cabbage against the counter. Place sliced cabbage into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle 1 tsp of salt on the cabbage and scrunch the cabbage using both hands for 30 sec to soften it.
• Dice the onion and grate both carrots.
• Preheat a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Saute onions and carrots for 5 min, mixing frequently. When almost done, mix in 2 Tbsp of sour cream. Empty contents of the skillet into mixing bowl with the cabbage.
• Cut pork into small cubes.
• Using the same skillet, add 2 Tbsp of olive oil and cook pork for 5 min over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. When cooked through, add it to the mixing bowl with cabbage, carrots and onion.
• Add 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper, 4 Tbsp of ketchup and mix all contents of the bowl together.
• Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil to large skillet or dutch oven. And cabbage mixture and set the heat to medium. Add 2 bay leaves.
• Cover and cook cabbage for 35-40 min, stirring every 15 min. Reduce temperature to medium-low after 20 min. Add more ketchup or salt to taste, if desired. Remove bay leaves before serving.

KAPUSTA (UKRAINIAN SOUP)

Steps:

• 1. Sautee bacon, kielbasa and onion together.
• 2. In a large stock pot - add sauerkraut, 2 cans soup and bay leaf. Add enough water to cover sauerkraut 1 inch above and bring to a boil. Add salt and pepper.
• 3. When bacon, kielbasa and onions are ready, add to sauerkraut (grease and all). Mix and simmer covered for at least 1 hour.

UKRAINIAN CABBAGE

Steps:

• Combine the cranberry sauce, tomato sauce, 4 cups tap water and brown sugar and bring to boil.
• Reduce to a simmer and add white raisins. Simmer 5 minutes.
• Core the heads of cabbage and place into a large pot. Cover with boiling water. Cover the pot and cook about 10 to 15 minutes, until cabbage is wilted.
• Remove from hot water. Then cover the cabbage with cold water and separate the leaves. You may have to replace the inner half of the cabbage into the hot water, in order to soften the rest of the leaves. When the rest of the cabbage is done, place that into the cold water and separate those leaves. You will want to tear the large leaves in half.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Drain all of the cabbage well and place the cabbage into a roasting pot. Pour the sauce into the same pot and mix the cabbage and sauce with a wooden spoon.
• Cover pot with lid or with heavy duty aluminum foil and bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.