Massaged Kale Salad and Kimchi Potato Salad

Recently I attended an event at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham. It was a great event with a lot of other businesses who are also in love with the fermentation process. I kept hearing the word ‘fermentation’ and getting excited! Typically I’m the only people talking about the amazing world of fermentation and here I was with a bunch of folks who were equally excited!
For the event I made a few dishes to exemplify how to use fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut. I was expecting a few people to be interested in my products and I was also expecting as many to not try my delicious samples (and make a face like they were disgusted). I was astonished when all my samples disappeared in the first half hour! Everyone knew about sauerkraut and kimchi and they were so excited to try my samples and my dishes! People were even disappointed that they could not purchase the Potato Salad with Red Kimchi right there and then! This is for all those folks who loved the samples and want to make it for themselves! Check out the Find our Products page to find Fermentology products near you.

Massaged Kale with Purple Kraut

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
pinch sea salt
¼ cup Fermentology Purple Kraut

Directions:
De-stem your kale. You can use the stems in a soup, stew or stir-fry, they also make great chew sticks for dogs, cats or chickens. Rip the kale into bite size pieces, about 2”x2” and place in a large bowl. Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar, add salt. With clean hands begin to mix and mash and massage and crush the kale leaves. You should see the leaves darken in color as at the acids break down the cell walls. Taste your kale and adjust your oil, salt and acid to taste. You will see a little bit of liquid created from the salt pulling water from the cells too (a process called homeostasis). You should only need to massage the kale for a few minutes, then add your Fermentology Purple Kraut. You do not need to drain the kraut but feel free to coarsely chop it, if that’s what you’re into. Then you can walk away for a few minutes (like while you prepare the rest of your meal) or you can eat it right away.
Letting the kale rest will allow the acid to continue to break down the cell walls. This process is important because it’s difficult for the human digestive system to get nutrition from the fibrous leaves of kale and other greens. Once massaged and the kales takes on it’s lovely dark green color more nutrients and vitamins are accessible.
I like to get creative with additional toppings, favorites include goat cheese, olives, red onion, fresh ground pepper, sweet bell peppers, diced apple, raisins, toasted pumpkin seeds, shredded carrot and nutritional yeast.


Potato Salad with Fermentology Kimchi

Ingredients:
2.5 pounds potatoes (I like Yukon Gold but your can use any)
1 pint Fermentology Red Kimchi, drained and coarsely chopped, reserve the liquid for later
½ cup your favorite mayonnaise
Directions:
​Bring 2 quarts of water to boil, or enough to cover the potatoes. Chop potatoes to 3/4” cubes and boil until soft. Drain and place on a baking sheet to cool. Mix your kimchi and mayo in a large mixing bowl. Once the potatoes have cooled and are no longer steaming, mix them with your kimchi and mayo. Mix and taste. I like to add almost all of the kimchi liquid but it’s up to your taste and tolerance to spicy flavors. Chill or serve immediately. Try it on a sandwich!