SAURKRAUT

All good outside leaves of the cab-
bage should be removed; then cut
crosswise several times and shredded
very fine with the rest of the cab-
bage. Immediately pack in a barrel,
keg or tub which is perfectly clean,
or into an earthenware crock holding
4 or 5 gals. The smaller containers
are recommended for household use.
While packing, distribute salt as
uniformly as possible, using one
pound salt to 40 pounds of cabbage.
Sprinkle a little salt in the con-
tainer and put in a layer of 3 or

4 inches of shredded cabbage and
then pack down with a wooden utensil
like a potato masher. Repeat with
salt, cabbage and packing until the
container is full or all the cabbage
used upe Press the cabbage down as
tightly as possible and apply a clean
cloth and then a glazed plate or a
board cover. If using a wooden
cover, select wood free from pitch.
(Cover must fit fairly close inside
container). Onttop of this cover,
place stones or other weights (use
granite and avoid the use of lime-
stone or sandstone). These weights
will serve to keep the brine above
the cover.

Allow fermentation to proceed for
10 days or 2 weeks if the room is
warm. Ina cellar or other cool
place, 3 - 5 weeks may be required.
Skim off the film which forms when
fermentation starts, and repeat
this daily if necessary to keep
this film from becoming scum. When
bubbles cease to arise, if container
is tapped, fermentation is complete.
If there is scum it must be removed.
Pour melted paraffin over the brine
until it forms a layer 1/2" thick
to prevent formation of the scum
which occurs if the weather is warm
or the storage place is not well
cooled. This is not necessary un-
less the kraut is to be kept a long
time. The kraut may be used as soon
as the bubbles cease to rise. If

72

scum forms and remains, the kréut
will spoil. Remove scum, wash cloth,
cover and weights, pour off old
brine and add new. To avoid this
extra trouble, it is wise to can
kraut as soon as bubbles cease to
rise and fermentation is complete.
To can, fill jars, adjust rubber,
and seal. Sterilize or process 120
minutes in hot water pack or 60
minutes in steam pressure outfit
at 10 lbs. pressure.

You can make your own shredder
easily. All you need is an 11"
wide board (clear - no pitch seams)
36" long, a carpenter's drawknife
with a blade as long as board is
wide; cut a slot slanting down,
midway across board leaving 1" on
each side for stability, insert
knife at flat angle, with the blade
showing above surface 1/8 or less.
Make the slot with enough clearance
to allow shredded cabbage to fall
in container underneath. After
blade is set to your satisfaction,
take 2 pieces of 1" x 1" on each
side of board and fasten securely.
There you have your shredder.

- W. S. Singer.

SAVORY RICE STUFFING

1/4 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup minced onions

11/2 cups diced celery

1 1/3 cups cooked rice

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/4 tsp. dried sage

1/4 tsp. dried thyme

In skillet, melt butter. Add onion,
celery; saute till tender, about 3
minutes. Add rice, rest of ingred-
ients; toss. Stuffs body of a 4 lb.
roaster. Apricot Stuffing: add
1 cup chopped dried apricots, omit
sage. Olive Stuffing: use only
1/4 tsp. salt, add 1 cup chopped
stuffed olives.

- Len Bailey.