Pineapple Vinegar, Latin American Sauerkraut...Cortido!

I don't want to forget to tell you about the Pineapple Vinegar! It's done and in the jar.

Neat Stuff. Not vinegary as expected. But does pack a little heat and some pineapple flavor.

It's used traditionally to make Cortido, a fermented Latin American version of sauerkraut. The non-traditional, but still very good recipe for this variation of kraut is found on page 93 of Nourishing Traditions and requires REAL whey, which is simply the by-product of strained yogurt. (Use whole, organic, please.)

BUT, if you make traditional cortido, using pineapple vinegar, the salt and whey from the non-traditional version can be omitted.

The trade-off? You either make whey or you make pineapple vinegar. I chose the vinegar this time around because I'm curious.

I can imagine using this on salads, too.

Want to try it?

The next time you cut up a pineapple, reserve the core and skin. Put it in a bowl and sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons dried oregano. The recipe calls for a quarter teaspoon of chile flakes, too. But if you want a little more heat, add a half teaspoon. You can add a couple of tablespoons of real whey to this, but it's not mandatory. Cover the whole batch of stuff with a half gallon of filtered water, then cover the bowl with a cloth, (you want air, not bugs). Secure the cloth with a rubber band and let the bowl sit at between 68 and 72 degrees, (basically, room temp.), for about 36 hours. Don't sweat if you forget it another day. Skim the top and use a plastic strainer to strain into a half gallon jar with a firm-fitting lid. Put it in the fridge until you need it for your cortido.

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