When are the best days to pickle cabbage. Sauerkraut at home. Sauerkraut - recipe with bell pepper and horseradish

The influence of the Moon and lunar phases on a person and the world around him has long been known, and often people take into account the lunar calendar in everyday life, especially during gardening, when solving household issues, including when preparing for the winter. For example, some housewives claim that if you salt cabbage according to the lunar calendar, you will be more likely to end up with a tasty and healthy dish. Is it so?

Whether or not to take into account the lunar calendar in the kitchen, each experienced housewife decides for herself. In order to get a good result, not only and not so much the right lunar day is important, but a good proven recipe and experience.

Not all housewives know that there is a difference between pickling and pickling vegetables, including cabbage. In fact, these two processes are similar, but there is a significant difference between them. More salt is used for salting than for fermentation, and the salting process lasts about 3-5 days. A large amount of salt limits the fermentation process, thereby reducing the amount of lactic acid. Due to this, pickled vegetables have a longer shelf life.

The fermentation of vegetables takes about two weeks, salt is used in a small amount so as not to inhibit the action of lactic acid bacteria. As with salting, and with sauerkraut, it turns out juicy, crispy and very healthy. But sauerkraut is still healthier because it contains a relatively small amount of salt, which means that even those who suffer from diseases of the kidneys and the cardiovascular system can safely be used.

The use of sauerkraut and salted cabbage has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, cleanses the body of toxins, normalizes the amount of cholesterol in the blood, and helps to cope with beriberi in the autumn-winter period. In the process of salting and pickling, lactic acid bacteria enrich the cabbage with B vitamins, including the production of vitamin B12, the most important vitamin for maintaining beauty and health.

How to salt cabbage according to the lunar calendar: a choice of products

When choosing cabbage for pickling, you should take strong tight white heads of late varieties. It is better to refuse Dutch or Chinese cabbage, because it is not suitable for pickling. A large amount of nitrates also negatively affects the quality and taste of the product, but you can be completely sure only in self-grown cabbage . If the cabbage is bought on the market or in a store, then before use, you should clean it from the top contaminated sluggish leaves and try it. Bitterness is not a good sign; it is better not to ferment and salt such cabbage.

After cutting the fork, you need to make sure that it is not affected by rot. If there are lesions, then you should not try to cut them off - such savings will only spoil the taste of the finished dish. It is important to choose the right salt - it is best to use medium or coarse rock salt, iodized salt will not work.

Simple recipe - great result

Having chosen a favorable lunar day and products, you should decide on the recipe. There are a huge number of recipes, and each experienced housewife has her own, but for beginners it is better to choose a simple and proven method. Strict adherence to technology will guarantee an excellent result, regardless of the day the workpiece is prepared. If you take a different amount of cabbage, then you need to take into account that salt should be about 2% by weight of vegetables, this is the optimal amount for high-quality and tasty salting.

Products:

Cut the cabbage into four parts and thinly chop into long strips. You can use a sharp knife, special shredders, or a food processor. The width of the strips must be at least one and a half centimeters. Grate carrots on a coarse grater. Then put the vegetables in a basin or an enamel pan, add salt and mix well with your hands, squeezing with your palms so that the cabbage softens and gives juice.

Vegetables can be left in a saucepan or transferred to another convenient clean dish, then compacted tightly, adding peppercorns between the layers (it can be crushed a little before) and bay leaf. From above, you need to put the load and take it to a cool, but not cold place (about 18-20 degrees Celsius). An important condition for successful salting and pickling is the cleanliness of the dishes used, hands and table during the preparation of cabbage.

The process of salting cabbage has already begun. Now it is necessary to release the formed gas bubbles every day, for this it is necessary to remove the load and pierce the cabbage with a clean knife or a knitting needle in several places to the very bottom. After three days, the cabbage brine becomes transparent, the vegetable mass settles. This means that it is time to remove the cabbage to a cool place where the fermentation process will stop. If this is not done, then the cabbage can peroxide and deteriorate.

Cabbage has been fermented in Russia for a long time. In a time when refrigerators did not yet exist, this was a great way to keep a healthy product until spring. When fermenting this vegetable, the process of lactic acid fermentation occurs with the formation of lactic acid. It is a natural substance present in the human body. It is the end product of glucose breakdown and is excreted through the kidneys.

BENEFITS OF SAUCURATED CABBAGE

Lactic acid not only does not pose any harm to humans, but also brings great benefits, as it is an antiseptic and inhibits the reproduction of pathological microorganisms in the intestine, and prevents fermentation processes.

Cabbage is a very useful product. Many different vitamins, including rare ones, a rich mineral composition and a considerable amount of fiber make it indispensable in nutrition, it should be eaten as often as possible. The lactic acid contained in sauerkraut gives it its beneficial properties. The brine contained in the product is also useful. It is formed from cabbage juice and contains many vitamins and minerals. And vitamin C, which is abundant in this vegetable, is stored in sauerkraut without loss. Whereas in fresh heads of cabbage its content during storage greatly decreases over time.

When cabbage is fermented for the winter

Autumn is the best season for pickling cabbage. In the October period, pickling varieties have already ripened, the stalls are full of ripe fruits at an affordable price .. The optimal weight of a head of cabbage for pickling is from 3 to 4 kg. In October, you can harvest sauerkraut for the future, focusing on the lunar calendar. Auspicious days - from 10 to 21 October. Also, according to the lunar calendar, it is best to ferment cabbage:

• Days when the moon is in the fire signs of the zodiac (Aries, Leo, Sagittarius) or in the earth (Capricorn and Taurus).
• Cabbage is fermented for the winter exclusively on the growing moon.
• If you just need to salt the vegetables for two days, then the waning moon on the third day after the start of the new moon is suitable for this.

For 2018, the days have already been set when it is best to ferment and salt cabbage:

• September 2018. The days for salting come from the 10th to the 22nd.
• October 2018 - from 10 to 19.
• November 2018 - from 8-15 and 19-20.
• December 2018 - from 8-13 and 16-21.

First of all, varieties intended specifically for fermentation are fermented (there are usually instructions on this on the package with seeds). As a rule, these are mid-season and mid-late varieties. The leaves of such cabbage are white, juicy, thick, and it is more suitable for pickling.

Alexander Gushchin

I can't vouch for the taste, but it will be hot :)

Content

Sauerkraut is a tasty and vitamin preparation that is easy to prepare, but just as easy to mess up. To make salting every time a success, find out when to salt cabbage according to the lunar calendar in 2018, find out the favorable phases for the process. The satellite of the Earth influences the fermentation processes used to leaven the vegetable. Consider this feature when deciding to start preparing a crispy and fragrant preparation in the year of the Dog.

How to pickle cabbage

Delicious and crispy sauerkraut is not obtained by every housewife. For the dish, you need quality ingredients, a proven recipe and the right day. The technology for preparing pickled treats will not cause difficulties. The vegetable is finely chopped into slices (chopped finely), grated carrots, salt, sugar, spices are added as desired. The ingredients are mixed, the mixture is rammed into glass containers. The fermentation process takes 1-3 days at room temperature, the finished treat is sent to be stored on the refrigerator shelf.

In addition to the traditional method of sourdough with carrots, there are ways to prepare a salty treat with the addition of a variety of plant products. With additions, the workpiece will acquire a special taste, but will not lose its beneficial properties. From additives use:

• apples;
• caraway;
• beets;
• lingonberries;
• prunes;
• quince;
• grape;
• basil;
• pumpkin;
• bell pepper.

In order for the cabbage preparation to be guaranteed crispy, special components are used, with tannins in the composition. It can be oak bark or horseradish root. Oak bark can be purchased at a pharmacy. A teaspoon of one of the two components per kilogram of cabbage is enough to make the treat crunchy. The components will add spice to the appetizer, harmoniously combined with the main ingredient.

What kind of cabbage is better to pickle

Approach the choice of the main component for pickling thoroughly, the taste of the dish depends not only on a successful day according to the lunar calendar, but also on its components. For salting, only thoroughly ripened, clarified heads of cabbage are suitable. If the cabbage is not ripe, its leaves will be dark green. It is not recommended to salt such a product, as bitterness will appear, and juiciness will not be enough. Heads of cabbage use tight, not bursting, not spoiled. Choose a late variety of cabbage, for example:

• Belarusian;
• Dobrovolskaya;
• Sava;
• Gift;
• Menza;
• Kharkov.

Not all winter varieties are suitable for pickling. From Amager and Kromon you will not get a tasty preparation, even if you follow the rules of salting. Dutch and Chinese varieties are also not suitable for pickling. To prepare the workpiece, it is better to use heads of cabbage grown in your own garden. This ensures their quality and safety. When buying a product, in addition to its appearance, pay attention to its taste. If the cabbage leaf is bitter, do not buy a head of cabbage, otherwise all efforts will be in vain.

What kind of salt

A significant component that should be carefully chosen for the recipe is salt. Do not use iodized salt to salt the product. Iodine slows down lactic acid fermentation, which must be active for a quality result. The microelement will provoke darkening and softness of the finished product. Choose rock salt of medium, coarse grinding.

What is the best salt

The taste of ready-made salted cabbage is influenced not only by the day of the lunar calendar and the selected products, but also by the container used for pickling. Traditionally, barrels and tubs made of wood are used, but a three-liter glass jar or an enamel pan is suitable, sometimes plastic containers are used. It is forbidden to salt cabbage using aluminum utensils. During storage, the vegetable will acquire a taste of metal, darken and become unsuitable for consumption. Thoroughly wash the container for sourdough, treat with boiling water before laying the cabbage billet.

When is the best time to ferment cabbage according to the lunar calendar?

What Russian person does not have a passion for sauerkraut? Probably there are no such people. This is the first autumn-winter dish that goes well with potatoes cooked in any form, porridge and meat dishes. There is no need to talk about the benefits of this pickled vegetable. Everyone knows about it. Well, if someone is not aware, then we will help fill this gap in knowledge. And we’ll also talk about when it’s best to salt cabbage and what time of the year is suitable for this process.

Useful trace elements

Firstly, this delicacy is an excellent source of vitamin C, which is considered an invaluable ingredient that helps maintain immunity in the winter. Also in fermentations there are vitamins K and several of those that belong to group B. Among them are B1 - B3, B6, B12. These elements have wound healing, tonic and other incredibly important properties for the nervous system. Also, this product contains the following minerals: iron, boron, potassium, silicon, copper and others.

So when to salt?

Many housewives and hosts ask themselves a difficult question: “When to salt” There are several points of view on this matter. Supporters of the first argue that this can be done throughout the winter. late autumn.Thus, frost-bitten late cabbage will lose its inherent bitterness.It is much easier to store such a dish later.

The second version about when to pickle cabbage says that such preparations should be done according to the lunar calendar. On the fifth or sixth day after the new moon, the pickled vegetable turns out to be the most delicious and crispy. It will be the same if you cook it during the New Moon period and provoke peroxidation and softening of the white cabbage.

But there is another little secret about when it is better to salt the cabbage. It is best to prepare an appetizer so beloved by many in the so-called weeks (Wednesday and Friday), from the beginning of October and always during the growing moon. At this time, the celestial body contributes to the reproduction, life and growth of bacteria necessary for leaven. The waning moon inhibits such processes. Men are advised to ferment the product on any of the "men's" days.

Note! If a girl decides to do pickles during critical days, you can not wait for a delicious cabbage. In any case, our grandmothers still thought so, but folk wisdom is still worth listening to. Therefore, it is better to abandon this idea and wait a little.

Dishes, salt, cabbage

When to salt cabbage for the winter - we figured it out. Now we have to figure out exactly what vegetables, dishes and salt should be in order for the finished dish to turn out delicious, crispy and healthy.

So, we choose cabbage. It is preferable to choose forks of medium-late or late varieties. Glory is popular with gourmets. Late fruits are easy to recognize due to their dense and tight heads. They seem to be stuffed with something. Never buy vegetables of early varieties for pickling. Such heads are loose and have a green tint. The fermented delicacy will turn out to be the same color, not very pleasant and not conducive to appetite.

The most versatile container for fermentation are tubs and barrels made of wood. When you need to salt cabbage, it is best to give preference to just such containers. By the way, our grandmothers, great-grandmothers and great-great-grandmothers always prepared a winter snack. If you managed to get such a rarity, then you are incredibly lucky. If not, then an enameled bucket or jar will do. The only thing to do is to check the utensils for chips. Plastic food trays can also come in handy. The only thing to avoid is aluminum containers. In such shards, cabbage will acquire a metallic taste and a gray tint.

When choosing a seasoning for salting heads of cabbage, pay attention to coarse rock salt. It is the best among the other species. does not work in this case. Although it is useful, it will make the cabbage soft.

What else to add?

Each housewife uses her proven recipe for sauerkraut. And she adds her own favorite ingredients. But we still tell you what you can add to the snack. When to salt the cabbage, more or less sorted out. Now let's try to clarify which ingredients are suitable for preparing the original dish. Naturally, these are heads of cabbage themselves, and, of course, salt. But still need carrots. So, ten kilograms of cabbage will require 300 grams of carrots and 200 grams of salt. Such proportions have already been checked and rechecked several thousand times. And if you are a novice hostess who has gathered for the first time to ferment cabbage, then this calculation should be taken as a basis.

But these are the main ingredients. In addition to them, you can put apples in the pickle - whole or cut into large pieces. Antonovka is an ideal option for this. Delicious cabbage will turn out, fermented with strong plums, sweet peppers, lingonberries, celery root or cranberries. And to make the dish fragrant, season it with cumin or dill seeds.

Cooking method

So the moment has come when you can salt the cabbage: the date is just right, all the kitchen utensils are in place, the products are also available. So, everything is ready to proceed directly to the cooking process. We take the cabbage and cut it with a knife or chop it on a large special grater. If you need to do everything as quickly as possible, then the second device is best suited. If aesthetics matter, not speed, then take a knife. Cut the heads of cabbage into two parts, and then chop against the leaves from the center. Now we put the crushed product in a prepared large bowl.

We rub or cut carrots and other components: apples, berries, etc. All mix and salt. And now the most pleasant thing in the whole cooking process - you need to roll up your sleeves and mash the cabbage as if you were kneading dough. After that, put oppression on the future snack No. 1 and wait until it turns sour.

Sauerkraut as medicine

Many articles have been written about the beneficial and healing properties of this product. Such a salad plays the role of a kind of "intestinal tract orderly", because the acetic and lactic acids that are present in it inhibit the growth of putrefactive bacteria. And people who are overweight are simply obliged to add this low-calorie delicacy to their diet, which helps burn fat. It has a lot of fiber. It binds carbohydrates, which contributes to their rapid removal from the body.

Having figured out when to salt cabbage, I would like to know what other useful properties it has. Pickled white vegetable promotes better digestion, regulates the acid-base balance, normalizes cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Carefully! Could be dangerous

There are a number of diseases in which the use of sauerkraut can be dangerous. Such ailments include: pathologies of the pancreas, kidney failure, hypertension and the formation of stones in the gallbladder. The high content of acids of organic origin in this salad can provoke an exacerbation of all the above diseases. Also, experts do not advise those who have problems with the thyroid gland to feast on the traditional Russian delicacy.

Enjoy your meal!

How and when to salt cabbage correctly - the reader already knows. I would also like to mention that this dish is incredibly popular in Ukraine, Germany and France. Therefore, it would probably be wrong to say that this is a primordially Russian dish. And it doesn't really matter where it comes from. The main thing is that it is incredibly tasty and healthy. Therefore, eat for health and get vitamins, especially now, when it is winter outside, and the body so needs the missing trace elements.

Despite the fact that cabbage does not have a sour taste, it has a lot of vitamin C. A person needs it especially in the cold season to maintain immunity and successfully resist the flu and colds. Vitamin C is well preserved when sauerkraut is sauerkraut and even when it is frozen once. Sauerkraut at home helps to recover from illness and not get sick at all. In addition, it is a very tasty snack and the basis for many hearty dishes.

Features of sauerkraut at home

The first experience of sauerkraut at home can end in failure if you do not know the secrets that are well known to experienced housewives:

• Not all varieties of cabbage are suitable for pickling. Harvest harvested in the summer is not suitable for home-made preparations. It is better to ferment late varieties, giving preference to the most juicy ones, heads of which are almost completely white. One of the most popular pickling varieties is Slava, it is suitable for dry pickling. "Kolobok" and "Amager" are best salted in brine.
• It is necessary to cut the cabbage for fermentation with a sharp knife intended for shredding. But at the same time, it is better to make the pieces not quite thin, but about 5 mm. If you ferment thin, small pieces, they will become too soft, and sauerkraut is much tastier when it remains crispy.
• You can ferment cabbage at home in an enameled pot, bucket, and also in glass jars. If possible, you can try fermenting cabbage in an oak tub or barrel - it will acquire a unique taste. However, this method is only suitable for those who have a cold cellar for storing pickles. Aluminum containers are not suitable in any case, since this material reacts with lactic acid, which is formed during the fermentation of vegetables.
• Sour cabbage at room temperature or slightly below it. If the room temperature rises above 24 degrees, the cabbage can become slippery. At temperatures below 20 degrees, fermentation will not go intensively enough.
• In order for enough juice to stand out, the cabbage must be placed under oppression or tamped very well. This is especially true when pickling cabbage in a dry way.
• During fermentation, cabbage should be pierced from time to time with a long, sharp knife so that gases come out of it. Otherwise, the finished snack will not have the most pleasant smell.
• Sauerkraut at room temperature lasts 3 days, then it can already be eaten, but still it will become tastier a little later: classic recipes provide for pickling during the week.
• Sauerkraut is best stored between 0 and 2 degrees, so cellars and refrigerators are ideal places to store them. You can also freeze cabbage if needed. To do this, it must be decomposed into bags and put in the freezer. It is advisable to make portions not very large, since cabbage cannot be re-frozen. For the same reason, a balcony is not the best place to store sauerkraut at home.
• During storage, mold may form on the cabbage. Mustard and sugar help to prevent its appearance, with which you can sprinkle the workpiece at least once a month.

When cooked and stored properly, sauerkraut can be eaten up to 9 months after cooking. The fresher it is, the tastier it is, so it usually doesn’t stay for so long.

Classic sauerkraut recipe: dry method

Composition (per 5 l):

• white cabbage - 4 kg;
• carrots - 0.4 kg;
• salt - 80 g;
• sugar - 80 g.

Cooking method:

• Wash the cabbage, remove the top leaves from it. Chop into strips of 3-4 mm.
• Peel the carrots, grate on a coarse grater. If desired, you can grate for cooking salads in Korean.
• Thoroughly mix the cabbage with salt, crushing it with your hands.
• Sprinkle with carrots and sugar, mix.
• Fill the container in which you are going to ferment it with cabbage. For this purpose, a five-liter saucepan or a clean glass jar of the same capacity is suitable.
• When applying cabbage, often tamp it with your hands or even with your fist. Place the container in a basin, as a lot of juice will soon stand out. Cover the cabbage with clean gauze, if possible, then place a load on top (when fermenting in a jar, you can do without oppression). Leave at room temperature for 3 days. Twice a day, remove the foam, rinse the gauze and pierce the cabbage with a knife.
• Move the container to a cooler place (an unheated pantry, to a loggia if there is no frost outside) and wait another 4 days.
• Arrange the cabbage in containers convenient for its further storage at home (if desired, you can store it in the same one as fermented). Put it in the basement or refrigerator. Do not forget that sauerkraut can also be stored in the freezer.

According to this recipe, crispy cabbage with a slight sourness is obtained. Before serving, it does not have to be washed or soaked - you just need to pour it with oil.

A simple recipe for sauerkraut in brine

Composition (per 3 l):

• cabbage - 2 kg;
• carrots - 0.2 kg;
• water - 1.5 l;
• salt - 50 g;
• sugar - 50 g;
• bay leaf - 1 pc.;
• black peppercorns - 3 pcs.

Cooking method:

• Wash vegetables. Shred cabbage, grate carrots.
• Mix cabbage with carrots, put in a jar, carefully tamping it.
• Boil water, dissolve salt and sugar in it.
• Put the bay leaf and peppercorns on top of the cabbage.
• Put the jar in a plate, pour the cabbage with hot brine so that it pours over the edge.
• Leave in the room for 3 days, piercing the cabbage several times a day to release the foul-smelling gases formed during fermentation.
• Transfer the cabbage to smaller jars, fill with the remaining brine and store in a cool place. At home, this place is usually the refrigerator, although some people store pickles in the basement.

Cabbage in brine is prepared simply and quickly, even inexperienced housewives succeed.

Sauerkraut with apples and cranberries

Composition (per 6 l):

• cabbage - 3.5 kg;
• apples of sour varieties (ideally - Antonov) - 1 kg;
• carrots - 0.3 kg;
• lingonberries (can be replaced with cranberries) - 100 g;
• rye bread (crackers) - 100 g;
• juniper berries - 5-6 pcs.;
• cumin (seeds) - 5 g;
• sugar - 60 g;
• salt - 80 g;
• currant leaves - 5-6 pieces;
• vodka - 70 ml.

Cooking method:

• Prepare a container for sauerkraut. Two three-liter jars or a large pot of 6-7 liters will do. An enamel bucket and an oak tub are also suitable containers. The selected container must be washed well and poured over with boiling water.
• At the bottom of the tub (or other container), put the cabbage leaves, after washing them. Put half of the currant leaves and a crust of bread there.
• Chop the cabbage, mix it with salt and wait until the juice starts to stand out.
• Add sugar, grated carrots and cumin seeds, mix.
• Wash the apples, cut into several pieces, cut out the core.
• Put a layer of cabbage, filling the container with it about a third. Seal it well.
• Put half of the apples, juniper berries, remaining currant leaves.
• Put the rest of the cabbage, carefully tamp it.
• Put the remaining apples, pour the lingonberries. Cover with gauze or a clean cloth. Pour the cabbage with vodka and leave to ferment at a temperature of 18-22 degrees for 5-7 days. Pierce the cabbage regularly with a knife or a long-handled wooden spoon.
• Store in a cool place.

Sauerkraut, according to this old recipe, is not ashamed to be served even at the festive table.

Spicy sauerkraut with beets, horseradish, garlic

Composition (for 5–6 l):

• cabbage - 4 kg;
• beets 0.4 kg;
• garlic - 2 heads;
• grated horseradish root - 30 g;
• sugar - 60 g;
• salt - 80 g;
• water - 1 l.

Cooking method:

• Peel the raw beets, wash, cut into large pieces and grate them on a regular grater or on a grater for Korean salads.
• Pass the garlic through a press.
• Get the hell out.
• Finely chop the cabbage.
• Mix cabbage with horseradish, beets and garlic.
• Boil water, dissolving salt and sugar in it.
• Put the cabbage in a sauerkraut container (you can arrange it in jars). Place the container itself on a large plate or in a basin.
• Carefully press the cabbage so that it lies as tightly as possible.
• Pour hot brine over cabbage.
• If the dimensions of the container allow, place a plate on top of the cabbage and place a weight on it (for example, a jar filled with water).
• 2-3 times a day for a week, remove the load and pierce the cabbage in several places to release the gas generated during fermentation.
• After 7 days, put the cabbage in jars and refrigerate. If the cabbage has already fermented in jars, you can store it directly in them.

According to this recipe, a spicy appetizer of a beautiful color is obtained, which will appeal to lovers of savory dishes.

Tender cabbage sauerkraut with honey

Composition (per 6 l):

• cabbage - 4.5–5 kg;
• salt - 85–90 g;
• honey - 70–75 g;
• bay leaf - 5-6 pcs.

Cooking method:

• Chop the cabbage, mix with salt, remember and wait until the juice stands out.
• Melt honey, dissolve it in a minimum amount of water (a quarter cup).
• Pour cabbage with honey liquid, mix well.
• Sterilize liter or larger jars, spread bay leaves over them.
• Packing each layer, fill the jars with cabbage so that there is enough space on top for the cabbage juice to come out. Put the jars on plates.
• Put for 3 days in a fairly warm room (from 20 to 24 degrees). Pierce the cabbage twice a day.
• Drain excess juice, leaving only a small layer of it covering the cabbage.
• Place a wooden circle or cloth in a large saucepan. Put jars of cabbage in a saucepan. Fill the pot with water until it reaches about the level of the cabbage in the jars.
• Put on low fire. Sterilize from 20 to 40 minutes depending on the volume of jars.
• Take the cans of cabbage out of the pot, roll them up and turn them over.
• Wrap and leave to cool like this.
• When the jars have cooled, they can be put away in the pantry.

Cabbage prepared according to this recipe will be tender. It keeps well even at room temperature. This distinguishes this method of its preparation from others.

Video: Delicious sauerkraut according to a family recipe!

Taste, crunch, beauty!

Sauerkraut is tasty on its own, but traditionally it is served as an appetizer with onion cut into thin half rings and drizzled with vegetable oil. In addition, home-sauerkraut can be used to make hodgepodge, bigos, cabbage soup and other dishes.