And now for something completely different. And no, this is not a joke recipe. It’s a real recipe and a darn good one at that! But perhaps you would find a bit of the back story interesting at this point. 

It all started with 2 heads of green cabbage. (Doesn’t it always!) One head Mr. C. had purchased from our local grocery store. The other had just arrived in our bi-weekly vegetable and salad farm box. Now one head would have been more than sufficient for the salad I had planned. But 2 heads? (So, no, 2 heads are not always better than one!) So, now what to do? Well, one thing I had always wanted to try making, but was a bit reluctant to try, was homemade sauerkraut. But really, how hard could it be to make sauerkraut? Only ingredients being cabbage and salt after all.

I’d watched my grandmother making sauerkraut in a big old ceramic crock when I was quite young. As I recall, she just layered sliced cabbage with salt and left it alone. And, if I had been particularly good that day, she would let me sprinkle on some of the salt. So, obviously fond memories had something to do with what happened next. My only concern was from a health standpoint. Would I poison us if I fermented my own cabbage? But after reading that sauerkraut is basically safe to eat at every stage of the fermentation process, I decided to give it a try.

So, before I could stop myself, I had hopped on-line and ordered a Jillmo Fermentation Jar, 2 Liter Fermentation Kit with Fermenting Weights and Airlocks, 2 Pack from Amazon. Which promised to be delivered the next day. And was. So, now I had no choice but to make sauerkraut. Which of course I did.

After carefully reading the instructions, in no time I had a jar of fermenting cabbage happily residing in my pantry. Fast forward one month, and I now had a jar of homemade sauerkraut in my refrigerator patiently waiting to be consumed. And after tasting it, I decided I had made the right choice. Homemade sauerkraut was fabulous. So, yesterday I decided enough was enough. I had to use some of my homemade sauerkraut.

I had been working on a recipe for a Reuben Sandwich casserole, but I didn’t have any pastrami in the fridge. So, I went on-line to see what other sauerkraut dishes might catch my eye. And there they were, several recipes for sauerkraut soup. And you know my passion for soups. So, after perusing several recipes, I glommed together this recipe. When we sat down to dinner, I told Mr. C. that if he hated the soup, we could always send out for pizza and I wouldn’t be in the least bit offended. But with the first bite it became obvious that we wouldn’t be ordering pizza. The soup was rich and absolutely delicious. Good to the last bite. And the best part – it had been ever so easy to build. Just a couple of vegetables to be chopped, and not a long cooking time. And so delightfully different from all the other soups I make. Mr. C. commented that it reminded him a bit of the Russian Borscht I make. (Recipe on this site, of course!) I agreed. This soup did have some of the basic borscht flavors that we both love so much.

So, if you are into trying a new soup that is different, while at the same time truly delicious, give this recipe a try. And if you ever considered making your own sauerkraut, I highly recommend that too. Easy and much better than any commercially manufactured product. And just because I love you all, you will find my homemade sauerkraut recipe below.

As always, keep having fun in your kitchen. Keep trying new and interesting recipes. And keep an open mind. One never knows when a new taste sensation will send your taste buds into their happy place. After all, avocados, chocolate, peanut butter, and even bacon were once edibles you had never before experienced. And look how well they worked out! Peace and love to all.

2 T. unsalted butter, divided

8-10-oz. smoked sausage, thinly sliced (I used Aidells Portobello & Swiss Cheese smoked chicken sausage. But kielbasa would also be wonderful.)     

1 c. chopped onion

freshly ground black pepper

2 c. sauerkraut, rinsed  

3 c. chicken stock

1 med. peeled potato, cut into ¼-inch chunks

¼ c. whole milk

¼ c. heavy cream

1 T.  Dijon mustard

¼ tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. paprika

plain croutons, for garnish

finely diced Swiss cheese, for garnish

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned. Remove sausage and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and onion to the pan; cook until the onion is soft. Add the sauerkraut and ½ cup of chicken stock and boil until no liquid remains.

Add remaining stock. Reduce heat, add the potato, cover, and simmer until the potato pieces are tender, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the milk, cream, Dijon mustard, dill weed, paprika, and browned sausage. Bring to a boil. Adjust seasoning.

Serve with croutons and diced Swiss cheese.  

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT  

1 lg. head green cabbage (about 2 pounds)

4 tsp. fine sea salt

Remove any bruised or damaged exterior leaves from your cabbage, and then slice it in half crosswise. Remove the cabbage’s core, and then slice the cabbage into strips no wider than ⅛-inch thick.

Toss cabbage and salt together in a large mixing bowl and let it rest about 20 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to soften and release a little juice. Then squeeze the cabbage with your hands to soften it even further and help it to release more juice.

When the cabbage has become limp and has released ample juice, transfer it to your jar. Pack the sauerkraut tightly into your jar, using a kraut pounder or a wooden spoon, so that the cabbage continues to release its liquid and no air bubbles remain.

Continue packing the cabbage into the container until the cabbage is completely submerged in its own liquid. Place a weight over the cabbage, and then seal the jar. Allow the cabbage to ferment at room temperature and away from direct sunlight for at least 1 month or until fermented to your liking. At which time, transfer it to your fridge where it will keep for up to 1 year.

FYI: the Jillmo fermentation kit worked great. I highly recommend this product.