CHAR'S LITHUANIAN KAPUSTA--SAVING TRADITIONAL RECIPES ONE RECIPE AT A TIME. (2024)

Char's recipe card.

Finding and recording traditional recipes forthe food we consider so important in our life, but don't take the time to learn to make while the older generation is around,can be lots of fun. Char is my high school friend's, Bonnie, sister. Char has always made the Kapusta in their family. After our trips to St. George's Hall for Kapusta Burgers, I wanted to learn how Kapusta was made on the Westside of Grand Rapids. Bonnie said her sister made the best. So Bonnie had a Kapusta party as she realized that she didn't know how to make it either.. We met at Bonnie's house on a Wednesday as that is the day 20th Century Meat Market makes German Wieners. Char made her Kapusta, actually she made 2 big pots, I took pictures andwrote down what she did. While the Kapusta was cooking we all talked andlaughed. Then we piled in a van and went shopping at 20th Century for our sausages. We all loved Char's Kapusta and made little piggies of ourselves so we laughed some more.

Cabbage and sauerkraut have an important placein history as they supplied necessary nutrients to people before canning or refrigeration, and mass transit of vegetables to all parts of the world during all the different seasons. Cabbage is loaded with vitamins and minerals. It is known for balancing the bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, and has antioxidant properties.

Sauerkraut which is made from cabbage is said to have originated during the building of the Great Wall of China 2,000 years ago to keep the workers healthy and able to work. The Chinese pickled the cabbage in rice wine vinegar because salt was too expensive. Genghis Khanbrought sauerkraut to Europe a 1,000 years later. The Germans startedusing salt to cure the cabbage and ferment it. The sugar in the cabbage turns to lactic acid which is a preservative.

Early Dutch sailors carried sauerkraut on their ships to prevent scurvy. Other Europeans followed the Dutch including Captain James Cook.The Dutch and German eat pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day to ensure good luck in the coming year.

Kapusta is a very important side dish served at Eastern European weddings, and holidays. It is a humble dish which is elevated to a celebration necessity. Each family has it's ownrecipe. Some like Char's have no meat, others are made with meat and/or brown sugar or caraway seeds. In Kapusta, the cabbage and sauerkraut blend together forming a lovely soft, silky, smooth to the tongue taste treat. The harshness of the sauerkraut and the smell of cooked cabbage is blended into a delightful combination which is not harsh and doesn't smell. It is wonderful with potatoes or used to top Polish sausage, German wieners or a pork chop/roast.

CHAR'S LITHUANIAN KAPUSTA

1 medium, heavy cabbage, about 3 pounds

2 jars (32oz. each) old-fashioned sauerkraut

1 large onion, Spanish sweet

2 sticks margarine

1 can (49 1/2oz) chicken broth

3 T Crisco shortening

Ingredients: Cabbage, Vlasic Old Fashioned Sauerkraut, onion, chicken broth, margarine, and

Crisco.

Chop onion into small cubes. Drain sauerkraut and rinse well. Squeeze the liquid from the drained sauerkraut and pat dry. (If you want a moresour-tart taste to your Kapusta, save some of the sauerkraut juice to add when the Kapusta is cooked.) Chop cabbage into medium-sized pieces. Meltmargarine in a large pot. Add onions and cook until soft, do not let them brown. Put one jar of the drained and rinsed sauerkraut into the onions, and top with one-half of the chopped cabbage. Cook on low, stirring, until cabbage has reduced in volume. Add second jar of drained and rinsed sauerkraut and second half of cabbage. Add chicken broth. Stir well. Cover. Simmer, stirring frequently, for a couple of hours. When the liquid is reduced and cabbage has blended with the sauerkraut, add the Crisco shortening and stir well.

Meltmargarine in a large pot.

Chop onion.