FEBRUARY FOOD FESTIVAL:
CARROT & NAPA CABBAGE KIMCHI

Our 2023 calendar theme, Preservation, is an ode to the art of preserving the harvest as well as a salute to the self-preservation of body and spirit. These have been challenging years! It’s fair to say we have been pickled and fermented, but that life goes on. It is the celebratory moments and the opportunities to come together that we relish.

This month, we’re celebrating Kimchi! This traditional Korean dish made with fermented vegetables has recently grown in popularity. There are hundreds of variations on the recipe but ours, brought to you by Chef Rachel John, includes the more traditional combination of carrot, napa cabbage, and gochujang paste.

Enjoy this Carrot & Napa Cabbage Kimchi on its own or use with one of the many pairings suggested by Chef Rachel: atop her Star Anise Braised Pork Belly Tacos or as part of her Vegan(ish) Butternut Squash with Kimchi recipe.

Carrot & Napa Cabbage Recipe

Yield: 1 quart

INGREDIENTS

1 head napa cabbage, cut into ¾ inch strips
1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks
1 small daikon, peeled and cut into matchsticks
2 Tbsp salt
1 bunch scallions, green and white parts separated
3 Tbsp gochujang paste
4 cloves garlic
1 oz ginger, peeled
1 Tbsp Jaggery
1 Tbsp white sesame seeds, toasted

PROCEDURE

Toss the napa cabbage, carrot and daikon with the salt. Place in a colander in a sink to drain at room temperature for 1 hour. Squeeze dry and place in a glass bowl.
Make a chili sauce by pulsing the white part of the scallion with the garlic, ginger, gochujang paste, and jaggery in a food processor. You can also mince everything by hand and mix it all together in a bowl.
Wearing gloves, pour the chili sauce over prepared vegetables and massage well.
Julienne the green part of the scallion into julienne and toss with the sesame seeds into the mixed vegetables. Cover with plastic wrap or put in a glass jar with a lid. Refrigerate for 2 hours and it’s ready to eat!

This kimchi keeps for up to 2 days before it starts to get pungent. A squeeze of lime juice and/or a dash of coconut aminos helps to liven it up before service