from Mouthwatering Sauerkraut
When fresh peppers make their appearance at our local farmers’ market, I usually make a few batches of this and use it for topping our summer hot dogs or mixing into a bean salad.
Ingredients
5 oz 140 g fresh or frozen corn
1.75 oz 50 g finely chopped red bell pepper (1⁄2 medium)
0.7 to 2.1 oz 20 to 60 g jalapeño peppers (1 to 3), seeded and finely diced
3.5 oz 100 g diced celery (2 stalks)
2.5 oz 70 g finely diced onion (1⁄2 medium)
1⁄4 cup 60 mL coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1⁄2 tsp 2 mL mustard seeds
2.2 lbs 1 kg green cabbage (approx.)
0.56 oz 16 g fine-grain salt
Directions
Chop: Place a large empty bowl on the scale and zero out the scale. Place the corn, red pepper, jalapeños, celery, onion, cilantro and mustard seeds into the bowl. Set aside a clean cabbage leaf for use in step 4. Slice the cabbage into thin strips and add them to your bowl until the weight of the mixture is 28 oz (800 g).
Salt: Sprinkle with the salt (2% by weight). Thoroughly mix until the salt is well dispersed. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the salt to pull the water out of the vegetables. Then massage the cabbage with strong hands until it clumps together and a puddle of brine can be seen when tipping the bowl to the side.
Pack: Pack the mixture into a 1-quart (1 L) jar, pressing down tightly with your hand so that the brine rises and no large air pockets remain. Leave 2 inches (5 cm) of headroom at the top of your jar to allow for expansion.
Submerge and Seal: Tear or cut the reserved cabbage leaf so it just fits inside the jar (using the lid as a guide) and place it on top of the packed mixture. Add your preferred weight to hold the mixture below the brine, then screw on a lid or air lock or choice. Label your jar with the date and flavor.
Ferment (1 to 2 weeks): Place your jar of sauerkraut relish in a shallow bowl and set aside on a stable surface, out of direct sunlight, ideally between 65°F and 70°F (18°C and 21°C), to ferment until the texture and tang are to your liking.
Store: Open the jar, remove the weight and clean the rim and jar. Firmly screw on a storage lid. Add the fermentation length to your label and place the jar in the refrigerator, where it can be kept for up to a year.
Enjoy: The possibilities for enjoying Sauerkraut Corn Relish are endless: as a relish on a hot dog, on top of a grilled smoked sausage, on a taco with a squeeze of lime or to top a cheese-and-sausage omelet.
Makes: 1 quart (1 L) of sauerkraut teeming with trillions of beneficial bacteria
Time: 1 to 2 weeks
Nada’s Tips & Tricks: I like this recipe because it has the shortest fermentation time and you can still use fall ingredients while enjoying the finished product on summer foods (think hot dogs!). Check farmers markets and roadside stands to buy fresh local veggies…they’re bursting with goodness at this time of year!
Courtesy of Mouthwatering Sauerkraut by Holly Howe © 2025 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with permission. Available where books are sold. Text copyright © 2025 Holly Howe. Photographs copyright © 2025 Natercia Cabeceiras (unless otherwise noted below). Cover and text design copyright © 2025 Robert Rose Inc. Additional photography: © Holly Howe. Additional photography: © Devon Gillott. https://robertrose.ca/catalogue/mouthwatering-sauerkraut/