This is best when you have freshly made sauerkraut—especially a whole head, which you can sometimes find at Eastern European specialty markets. There will, of course, be times when that’s impossible, and then you must turn to packaged sauerkraut. This is not a problem as long as you steer clear of the canned stuff and look for that packed in plastic bags, containing nothing but cabbage and salt. Serve this strong, tart salad with a hearty meat dish, like “Deviled” Pork Chops (page 362), Baeckoffe of Pork and Lamb (page 399), or Carbonnade (page 385).

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　One 2-pound head or 2 pounds packaged sauerkraut

　　1 heaping tablespoon sweet paprika

　　1/3 cup walnut, hazelnut, dark sesame, or extra virgin olive oil

　　1/2 cup pitted and chopped black olives, preferably not canned

　　

Step 1

If using a whole head of sauerkraut, quarter, core, and shred it as finely as possible. If using packaged sauerkraut, rinse lightly and drain well.

　　

Step 2

Stir in the paprika and oil and garnish with the olives.

　　

Sauerkraut Salad, Russian Style

Step 3

Prepare the sauerkraut as in step 1. Substitute sugar for the paprika and use extra virgin olive oil; substitute an apple (Granny Smith is good here), peeled, cored, and shredded on a grater (or in a small food processor), for the olives. Add 2 scallions, trimmed and chopped, and 1 cup chopped jarred or canned plums (or dried prunes, soaked in a little water or port). Toss all the ingredients together and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.