I vote Cordito to be the easiest sauerkraut to add to your menu. It’s Mexican in origin, made with carrots, onions and cabbage and seasoned with oregano and red pepper. You just throw it on with the salsa, sour cream, olives, and other toppings you’re layering in your taco, and then enjoy the subtle-yet-incredibly-authentic flavor it adds to every bite.
I still can’t believe I just basically wrote an ode to sauerkraut. But I’m not lyin’, peoples. This really is another painless experience in adding lacto fermented condiments into your plate.
Cordito Recipe
1 large cabbage, cored and shredded
1 c. grated carrots
2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise and very finely sliced
1 T. dried oregano
1/4-1/2 t. red pepper flakes
1 T. sea salt
4 T. whey (if not available, use 1 additional T. salt)
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Pound with a wooden pounder or meat hammer for 10 min. to release juices. (I don’t have either of those tools – I use the bottom of a quart jar!) Place in 2 quart sized, wide mouth mason jars and press down firmly until juices come to top of cabbage. The top of the cabbage mixture should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jars. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to fridge. (Recipe from Nourishing Traditions)
Here’s my favorite thing about Cordito – it blends in so well with the many other toppings on a taco or things you toss in a taco salad, that I’ve actually got my husband and kids to eat this one. When we have taco salad as a family, I’ve taken to tossing the lettuce, meat, cheese, and crushed chips in a bowl with most of the toppings, then let Jeremy add more hot salsa to his serving if he wants it. This means simpler serving for the kids, and lots less fuss for Mom. A few tablespoons Cordito are hardly noticed amongst spoon-fulls of sour cream and salsa, and down the hatch it goes. 🙂
I have another condiment I absolutely love for Mexican night—Cultured Refried Beans—but you’ll have to go to the book for that recipe. 🙂
Next…the sauerkraut I learned to love while on GAPS…Kimchi!
See all posts in my Loving Sauerkraut series here.
Salvadorian not Mexican
Close: It’s Curtido (sometimes spelled Cortido) rather than Cordito, and it’s from Central America rather than Mexico. And it is good!