Sauerkraut with Oyster Mushrooms

Directions

1. Trim the mushrooms and cut into stripes. If they are small, keep them whole.
2. Heat a small sauté pan with the olive oil and cook the mushrooms for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with a bit of sea salt for seasoning.
3. Allow them to cool to room temperature.
4. Put shredded cabbage into a large stainless steel or glass mixing bowl. Add sea salt into the cabbage and massage with your hands for 3–4 minutes. Don’t be timid. Give your cabbage lots of good squeezes.
5. Allow the massaged cabbage to rest in the bowl for about 30 minutes so that the salt can draw out liquid from the cabbage.
6. After resting, add in the mushroom, carrot, and caraway seeds, if using, and mix well.
7. Transfer the mixture to the Le Parfait glass jar, a third at a time, along with any liquid that has been released. Using a sauerkraut pounder, wooden spoon, or the end of a rolling pin, gently but firmly pack the cabbage into the jar after each addition.
8. Keep pressing until the top of the cabbage is at about 1-1/2 inches (3.75 cm) below the rim of the wide-mouth opening. If you have time, let the mixture stand for 24 hours to help build up more liquid (see Note below). This will help prevent overflow later.
9. Assemble ChouAmi onto the jar according to directions. Allow to ferment for 7–10 days on your kitchen counter, away from direct sunlight. Check every few days that there is water in the moat, and top off as needed.
10. When ready, remove ChouAmi and wipe the rim of the jar with a clean cloth. Make sure the Le Parfait sealing cap and screw lid are both clean with no brine, salt, or acid, and place on the jar. Store in the refrigerator.