When I was a little girl, I used to help my Grandma Rosie make pickles. She pickled cucumbers, green tomatoes, and even garlic, which sometimes turned an interesting blue color as it soaked in the pickling juice. We loved her homemade pickles, and we still do in the years when I make them in the fall.
Curtido is popular in Latin American cuisine, and is great paired with stuffed tortillas. I never saw my grandmother make anything remotely like this, but I have a sneaking suspicion she would have adored it. It makes a festival of flavors on your tongue, and my Grandma Rosie was all about flavor. Here’s a great recipe for curtido, which is a little bit like sauerkraut but only lightly fermented, and with a whole lot of attitude.
If imagining how good this is going to taste isn’t enough for you, then you may be interested in the fact that fermented foods are especially good for our bellies. It turns out that fermented foods are rich in probiotics, the way nature intended. This recipe is basically a nutritional powerhouse.
- 1 small cabbage, cored and outer leaves removed
- 3 large carrots, peeled
- 1 small-medium onion
- 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled
- 1-2 handfuls of kale, center ribs removed
- 1 green apple, peeled and cored
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 /2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 1/2 cups raw apple cider
- 1 1/2 cups water (more as needed)
Shred the vegetables, ginger and apple in a food processor, or chop finely with sharp knife. Place in large bowl and mix in the oregano and red pepper.
Spoon the vegetables into 2 quart-size jars and press down hard with your fist or the back of large wooden spoon until they are packed down as tightly as possible. Leave a 1-inch space between the top of the cabbage and top of the jar.
Mix together the salt, vinegar and water, and then pour equal amounts into both jars. Add a little more water if needed so the liquid is rises just slightly higher than the cabbage mixture.
Cover tightly and leave to ferment at room temperature for 3 days. Then enjoy your curtido, and transfer any leftovers to the refrigerator.