Gut loving Winter ferment with antibacterial juniper berries
I first developed a love for red cabbage sauerkraut whilst living in Switzerland where having some kind of kraut with your meal was as common as cheese with holes in. Here I have combined the classic (and perhaps my fav) red cabbage with berries that aren’t really berries. I’m talking Juniper berries - berries that are actually used as a spice. Juniper berries actually aren’t berries at all. They are female seed cones that come juniper plants — a type of conifer (Pinophyta). There are a large number of studies that reflect the incredible antioxidant and antibacterial potential of juniper berries and the results definitely aren’t all anecdotal.
The Ingredients
Organic red cabbage
Sea salt
Organic juniper berriers
The Instructions
Tim the outside leaves from the cabbage and put to one side. Quarter the cabbage and cut away any sold root core.
Slice the cabbage - I like to stick it in a food processor and chop it small.
Weigh the red cabbage - for every 500g of sliced cabbage add 10g of sea salt (aim for around a 2% brine).
Massage it for 5 -10 minutes, working and turning with your hands (wear gloves if you want to avoid staining). The cabbage should get quite wet.
Add a handful of crushed juniper berries
Mix and pack tightly into a clean glass jar
Keep at room temp for up to a week, opening the lid intermittently
Then place in the fridge to store
The Science
Probiotic strains in fermented food such as Lactobacillus have been claimed to have putative health potential. Sauerkraut fermentations are a source of such probiotics. Check out my post on Kimchi for a bit of extra detail on why we should include fermented foods in our diet.