Home cooks and celebrity chefs alike are rediscovering the health benefits and zesty taste profiles of fermented vegetables. Here's a simple recipe for plain sauerkraut (fermented cabbage) that is a great introduction to the art of fermenting.

Ingredients:

1. 1-2 heads of cabbage (red or green) about 3 ½ pounds. 

2. 1 tablespoons of salt (unrefined sea salt is best) 

Directions:

1. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage and reserve two for later. Core, thinly slice, and add to a large bowl. 

2. Add about a tablespoon of the salt and massage it into the cabbage until it becomes limp and a brine pools at the bottom of the bowl. If you've worked the cabbage for a while and brine has yet to form, let it stand covered for an hour and try again. 

3. With your fist or a tamper, press the cabbage into a two-quart jar or crock. The brine should rise above the cabbage when you push it down. Leave 3" of head space for a jar and 4" for a crock. 

4. Top the cabbage with the reserved outer leaves. Add a weight on top of the leaves to keep the cabbage under the brine (a water-filled bag or jar works well as a weight, on top of a plate for the crock).  

5. Cover the crock or jar with a clean dish towel or loose lid, set it on a baking sheet or plate, and place in a shaded and cool location to ferment for up to two weeks. The warmer it is where you store your kraut, the more quickly it will ferment. 

6. Check daily to make sure the cabbage remains under the brine. On day four, you can start tasting to see if the kraut is done (it should be tangy, like pickles). When it is fermented to your taste, ladle it into smaller jars, tamp it down, add the remaining brine, and store in the refrigerator for up to six months. 

A simple kraut is an easy way to take your first steps in the art of fermenting. Once you've mastered this, it is a short step to kimchi, pickles, condiments, and other healthy, tasty fermented foods.