Cooked Sauerkraut, or Capuzi Garbi: Though you may associate pickled cabbage with Germany, it's also common in a great swath that extends across Friuli and down into the Balkans. Here's a classic way of cooking them. You'll need:
Ingredients:
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) sauerkraut (commercially prepared will do)
- A heaping tablespoon rendered lard
- 1 tablespoon minced onion or 2 cloves garlic, minced, or both
- 1 tablespoon flour
- Salt and pepper
- A splash of white wine (optional)
Preparation:
Rinse the sauerkraut, squeeze out excess moisture, put them in a pot, and add just enough unsalted water to cover, and then simmer them for about 20 minutes. In another pot sauté the onion or garlic and flour in the fat, and when they have colored add the sauerkraut, draining it well. Salt lightly, give a healthy grating of pepper, and simmer for a couple of hours, covered, stirring often and adding water as need be to keep them from drying out. When they're a pretty amber they're ready.You can enjoy them as is, for example with a roast or stew, or use them to make jota, Trieste's signature soup.
You can also prepare capuzi garbi from scratch. You'll need:
- Cabbage
- Juniper berries
- Coriander seeds
- Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
What to do with capuzi garbi other than jota? Here's an idea that goes quite well with roasts or boiled meats:
- 2 1/4 pounds (1 k) sauerkraut
- A ham bone, fresh or smoked
- A bay leaf
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- An onion, minced
- 1 heaping tablespoon flour
- Salt and pepper
