From Our Kitchen to Yours

The Longsummer Table

Twenty-four chef-developed recipes built around our four krauts — from five-minute avocado toast to a whole roasted fish worth showing off.

The House Rule — We never cook our krauts. Every recipe finishes with the ferment raw and cold: live cultures intact, and the temperature contrast is half the pleasure.

The Jar
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Showing all 24 recipes

Hand-chop the salmon in two textures — half fine for the binder, half in quarter-inch dice for the bite. No food processor; it turns salmon to paste.

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb skinless salmon fillet, cold
  • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise · 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 small shallot, minced · 2 Tbsp chopped dill
  • 1 tsp lemon zest · 1 tsp kosher salt · ¼ tsp pepper
  • ⅓ cup panko, plus more for dusting · neutral oil

Method

  1. Chop a third of the salmon to a rough paste with a sharp knife; dice the rest ¼ inch. Keep everything cold.
  2. Stir mayo, Dijon, shallot, dill, zest, salt, and pepper; fold in both salmons, then panko. Mix only until it holds.
  3. Form 4 patties an inch thick. Chill 30 minutes — this is what keeps them intact.
  4. Dust with panko and sear in 2 Tbsp oil over medium-high, 3–4 minutes per side, to 125–130°F inside. Rest 3 minutes.
Lemon-dill aioli: whisk ½ cup mayo, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp zest, 1 Tbsp chopped dill, 1 small grated garlic clove, pinch of salt. Rest 15 minutes.
The BuildToasted brioche bun, aioli, patty, then a generous tangle of Dill & Garlic kraut straight from the jar — it's the pickle, the slaw, and the acid in one move.
Pescatarian

The braise-then-sear method: plump, juicy sausage with a lacquered skin, no split casings.

Ingredients

  • 8 fresh bratwurst
  • 1 (12 oz) lager or pilsner
  • 1 yellow onion, sliced · 2 Tbsp butter
  • Whole-grain mustard · toasted rolls or pretzel buns

Method

  1. Lay brats and onion in a cold skillet, pour in the beer, add butter. Simmer gently over medium 12–15 minutes, turning once, to 145°F inside.
  2. Remove brats; crank heat and reduce until the liquid is nearly gone and the onions are jammy, 6–8 minutes.
  3. Return brats and sear 2–3 minutes, rolling, until deeply browned.
The BuildBun, mustard end to end, brat, beer onions, then a cold ribbon of Dill & Garlic kraut down the whole length.

The kraut replaces both the vinegar and half the salting-and-waiting. Fresh cabbage brings crunch; fermented cabbage brings depth.

Ingredients

  • ½ small green cabbage, shredded fine (about 5 cups)
  • 2 carrots, julienned or grated
  • 1 cup Dill & Garlic kraut, lightly drained, brine reserved
  • ⅓ cup mayonnaise · 2 Tbsp reserved kraut brine
  • 1 tsp honey · ½ tsp celery seed · salt and pepper

Method

  1. Whisk mayo, brine, honey, and celery seed into a dressing.
  2. Toss cabbage and carrots with the dressing; fold in the kraut last so it stays distinct.
  3. Rest 20 minutes; season to taste. Best within a day, while the fresh cabbage still snaps against the fermented.
VegetarianGluten-Free

The parboil-and-rough-up method — maximum crag, maximum crunch. Eats like loaded potatoes by way of Vienna.

Ingredients

  • 2 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, 2-inch chunks
  • 1 Tbsp kosher salt + ½ tsp baking soda, for the pot
  • ¼ cup olive oil · 2 sprigs rosemary (optional)
  • ¾ cup crème fraîche · chives, sliced

Method

  1. Heat oven to 450°F. Boil potatoes in salted water with the baking soda until a knife slides in, about 10 minutes.
  2. Drain, return to the dry pot, and shake hard — battered, starchy-fluffy edges are the goal.
  3. Toss with oil and rosemary; roast 35–40 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and shattering.
The BuildPotatoes on a platter, crème fraîche in dollops, cold Dill & Garlic kraut scattered across, chives to finish. Hot-crisp, cool-cream, sour-crunch.
VegetarianGluten-Free

The most famous sauerkraut sandwich in America, with a jar that actually deserves it. Pastrami is classic; hot-smoked trout is the Northwest flex.

Ingredients

  • 4 slices marble rye or Jewish rye
  • ½ lb thin-sliced pastrami (or 6 oz flaked hot-smoked trout)
  • 4 slices Gruyère or Swiss
  • ¾ cup Dill & Garlic kraut, squeezed quite dry
  • 2 Tbsp softened butter

Method

  1. Russian dressing: stir ⅓ cup mayo, 1½ Tbsp ketchup, 2 tsp horseradish, 1 tsp Worcestershire, 1 Tbsp minced kraut.
  2. Warm the pastrami in a skillet with a splash of water, covered, 2 minutes.
  3. Build: rye, dressing, cheese, pastrami, kraut, cheese, dressing, rye — cheese on both sides of the kraut glues the sandwich.
  4. Butter the outsides; griddle over medium 3–4 minutes per side until deep golden and molten. Rest 1 minute; cut on the diagonal.
A NoteThis is our one deliberate exception to the house rule — the kraut meets gentle heat, insulated by cheese. Purists: tuck it in after griddling.

Eastern European soul food, chef finish. Good frozen potato-cheese pierogies are a legitimate shortcut — the brown butter and kraut do the talking.

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb potato-cheese pierogies (16–20)
  • 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided
  • 2 yellow onions, sliced thin · ½ tsp kosher salt
  • ¾ cup Dill & Garlic kraut
  • Sour cream and black pepper to serve

Method

  1. Cook onions in 2 Tbsp butter with the salt over medium-low, 25–30 minutes, until deep amber.
  2. Boil pierogies until they float, 3–5 minutes; drain well.
  3. Brown the remaining 3 Tbsp butter over medium until the solids turn hazelnut. Fry pierogies in one layer, 2–3 minutes per side, until blistered.
The BuildPierogies and brown butter on the plate, caramelized onions over, cold kraut scattered generously, sour cream and coarse pepper to finish.
Vegetarian

Massaged kale, a creamy green dressing, and the kraut doing the work of both pickled onion and citrus. The purple against the green is your photo.

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch lacinato kale, stemmed, sliced into ribbons
  • ½ tsp kosher salt + 1 tsp olive oil, for massaging
  • ½ cup roasted pistachios, roughly chopped
  • ¾ cup Za'atar Red Cabbage kraut
  • Shaved pecorino or crumbled feta (optional)

Method

  1. Vinaigrette: blend 1 ripe avocado, 3 Tbsp tahini, 3 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 small garlic clove, ½ tsp salt, and ¼–⅓ cup cold water until pourable.
  2. Massage kale with the salt and oil a full minute, until it darkens and softens.
  3. Toss with dressing to coat; top with kraut in loose tangles, pistachios, and cheese if using.
VegetarianGluten-Free

The five-minute proof of concept — the recipe that converts a browser into a believer.

Ingredients

  • 2 thick slices good sourdough
  • 1 large ripe avocado
  • ½ lemon · flaky salt · good olive oil
  • ½ cup Za'atar Red Cabbage kraut
  • Optional: soft-boiled egg (6½ minutes), Aleppo pepper

Method

  1. Toast the sourdough dark — it needs structure under the toppings.
  2. Smash avocado with lemon and a pinch of salt; spread thick.
  3. Pile kraut over, drizzle with olive oil, finish with flaky salt. Add the jammy egg and Aleppo to make it lunch.
Vegetarian

Boneless thighs, an aggressive marinade, a screaming-hot oven: ninety percent of the vertical spit at home. Don't shortcut the marinade below 4 hours.

Ingredients

  • 2½ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • ¼ cup olive oil · 3 Tbsp lemon juice · 6 grated garlic cloves
  • 1 Tbsp each cumin and sweet paprika · 2 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp each turmeric and cinnamon · ½ tsp cayenne (optional)
  • 2½ tsp kosher salt · 1 large red onion, thick wedges
  • Warm pita to serve

Method

  1. Massage the oil, lemon, garlic, spices, and salt into the thighs; refrigerate 4–24 hours.
  2. Heat oven to 450°F with a sheet pan inside. Arrange thighs and onion on the hot pan.
  3. Roast 15–18 minutes to 175°F — thighs get more tender past 165, not less. Broil 2 minutes for real char.
  4. Rest 5 minutes, slice into ribbons, toss back through the pan juices.
Lemon-tahini sauce: whisk ½ cup tahini, ¼ cup lemon juice, 1 grated garlic clove, ½ tsp salt; stream in ⅓–½ cup ice water while whisking until pale and pourable.
The BuildPita, tahini sauce, chicken and onions, then Za'atar kraut in place of pickles and cabbage both — the ferment does the job of amba and pickled turnips in one move.

The entertaining anchor. Boneless leg keeps it manageable; the overnight garlic-za'atar paste does the heavy lifting.

Ingredients

  • 1 boneless leg of lamb, 4–5 lb, butterflied and trimmed
  • 6 garlic cloves, grated · zest of 1 lemon + juice of ½
  • 3 Tbsp za'atar · 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
  • ⅓ cup olive oil · 1 Tbsp kosher salt · 1 tsp black pepper

Method

  1. Whisk everything but the lamb into a paste; massage over all surfaces. Roll and tie (or leave flat for the grill). Refrigerate overnight, uncovered if possible.
  2. Pull the lamb 1 hour before cooking. Heat oven to 450°F.
  3. Roast on a rack 15 minutes, then drop to 350°F for 45–60 minutes, to 130°F internal for medium-rare at the center.
  4. Rest 20 minutes — non-negotiable — then slice thin against the grain.
The BuildSlices overlapping on a platter, Za'atar kraut in a wide band across the top, olive oil and flaky salt over everything. The lemon-tahini sauce from the shawarma alongside doesn't hurt.
Gluten-Free

Real falafel starts with dried chickpeas — canned turns to mush. The kraut replaces the usual pickled turnips, and honestly improves the sandwich.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup dried chickpeas, soaked 18–24 hours (do not cook)
  • ½ small onion · 1 packed cup parsley + ½ cup cilantro
  • 3 garlic cloves · 1½ tsp cumin · 1 tsp coriander
  • 1¼ tsp kosher salt · ¼ tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp baking powder · 2 Tbsp flour or chickpea flour
  • Neutral oil for frying · pita, tomatoes, cucumber

Method

  1. Drain chickpeas very well. Pulse with onion, herbs, garlic, spices, and salt to a coarse, sandy rubble — holds when squeezed, never a paste.
  2. Stir in baking powder and flour; chill 30 minutes.
  3. Form walnut-sized balls, packing firmly. Fry in 1½ inches of 350°F oil, 3–4 minutes, until deep brown. Drain on a rack.
The BuildPita, tahini sauce, four or five falafel lightly crushed, tomato and cucumber, then a heavy layer of Za'atar kraut.
Vegetarian

The looker. Good store-bought flatbread keeps this a 35-minute dish; every element can be made ahead.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise
  • 1½ Tbsp harissa paste + 2 Tbsp olive oil + ½ tsp salt
  • 1½ cups labneh (or thick full-fat Greek yogurt)
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil + ½ small garlic clove, grated
  • 2 large flatbreads, warmed · ¾ cup Za'atar kraut
  • Toasted sesame, mint leaves, honey

Method

  1. Heat oven to 425°F. Toss carrots with harissa, oil, salt; roast 25–30 minutes until charred at the edges and tender.
  2. Whip labneh with the oil and garlic until fluffy.
  3. Assemble: labneh swooshed thick on warm flatbread, carrots over, kraut scattered between, then sesame, torn mint, and a thin thread of honey. Cut into wide strips.
Vegetarian

Bone-in thighs over two-zone heat, a proper toasted pilaf underneath. The kraut is the acid the plate needs.

Ingredients

  • 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil · 2 tsp kosher salt · 1 tsp pepper · 2 tsp smoked paprika · 1 grated garlic clove
  • Pilaf: 1½ cups basmati, rinsed clear · 2 Tbsp butter · ½ onion, minced
  • 1 cinnamon stick · 2 cardamom pods (optional)
  • 2¼ cups chicken stock · 1 tsp kosher salt

Method

  1. Rub thighs with oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic; rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Pilaf: sweat onion in butter; add rice and spices, toast 2 minutes until nutty. Add stock and salt, boil, cover, lowest heat 15 minutes. Rest covered 10, then fork.
  3. Grill thighs skin-down over medium-direct 6–8 minutes until the skin releases and crisps; move to indirect, cover, cook to 175°F, 15–20 minutes more. (Oven: 425°F skin-up, 35–40 minutes.)
The BuildPilaf, thighs over, Berbere kraut in a cold bright pile alongside — it cuts the skin's richness like a squeeze of lemon with a backbone.
Gluten-Free

The Sunday dish: a berbere-brown-sugar crust, low heat, and time. Leftovers feed the pulled pork quesadilla on this page.

Ingredients

  • 1 bone-in pork shoulder (Boston butt), 6–7 lb
  • 2 Tbsp berbere spice blend · 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 Tbsp kosher salt · 1 tsp black pepper

Method

  1. Mix the rub; massage over every surface. Refrigerate uncovered overnight if you can.
  2. Heat oven to 300°F. Set pork fat-cap up in a Dutch oven with ½ cup water in the bottom.
  3. Roast uncovered 6–7 hours, until the bone wiggles free and internal temp reads 200–203°F. Add water if the pan dries.
  4. Rest 30 minutes tented; pull into large rough chunks, dressing them through the pan juices.
The BuildFamily-style: pork on a board, Berbere kraut in a bowl alongside, soft rolls or flatbread, and let people build. The cold ferment against the hot fat is the entire argument.
Gluten-Free

The statement dish — and easier than a perfectly seared fillet, because the bones and skin protect the flesh. Have your fishmonger scale and gut.

Ingredients (per fish)

  • 1 whole branzino, 1–1¼ lb, scaled and gutted
  • Kosher salt and pepper · ½ lemon, sliced thin
  • 3–4 thyme sprigs · 2 smashed garlic cloves · 2 Tbsp olive oil

Method

  1. Heat oven to 450°F. Pat the fish very dry — dry skin is crisp skin. Cut 3 shallow diagonal slashes per side.
  2. Season inside and out, working salt into the slashes. Stuff the cavity with lemon, herbs, garlic; oil the skin.
  3. Roast on parchment 15–18 minutes, until the flesh at the thickest slash flakes and reads 135°F at the spine.
  4. Rest 5 minutes. Run a knife along the spine, lift the top fillet, pull the spine free in one piece.
Berbere brown butter: cook 6 Tbsp butter over medium until hazelnut-brown, 4–5 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 1½ tsp berbere, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp lemon juice, pinch of salt.
The BuildFillets over the warm berbere butter, lemon to finish, Berbere kraut in a generous cold pile alongside. The temperature contrast is the point.
PescatarianGluten-Free

Pantry-cheap, deeply comforting, vegan as written. The kraut on top is the bright lift the stew begs for.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp olive oil (or niter kibbeh, if you have it)
  • 1 large red onion, minced fine
  • 3 garlic cloves, grated · 1 Tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste · 1½–2 Tbsp berbere spice blend
  • 1 cup split red lentils, rinsed
  • 3½ cups water or vegetable stock · 1¼ tsp kosher salt
  • Cooked rice or injera · cilantro

Method

  1. Cook onion in the oil with a pinch of salt over medium until deeply golden, 10–12 minutes — the slow onion base is the foundation; don't rush it.
  2. Add garlic, ginger, tomato paste, berbere; fry 2 minutes until brick-red.
  3. Add lentils, liquid, salt. Simmer uncovered 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils collapse into a thick porridge.
The BuildRice or injera, stew over, a big cold spoonful of Berbere kraut in the center, cilantro around. Stir the kraut through as you eat.
VeganGluten-Free

Spice in the patty, ferment on top — the flavors echo instead of compete.

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb ground lamb (80/20)
  • 2 tsp berbere spice blend · 1¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 1 small grated garlic clove
  • 4 potato or brioche buns · butter lettuce

Method

  1. Yogurt sauce: stir ¾ cup Greek yogurt, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 small grated garlic clove, 2 Tbsp chopped mint, ¼ tsp salt.
  2. Mix lamb, berbere, salt, and garlic with a light hand; form 4 patties slightly wider than the buns, dimple pressed in the center.
  3. Sear over medium-high, 3–4 minutes per side, to 140–145°F for a blushing medium. Rest 3 minutes.
The BuildBun, yogurt sauce, lettuce, patty, more sauce, then Berbere kraut piled on. Skip the cheese — the yogurt and kraut are doing that work.

The brunch entry. Crispy-edged sweet potatoes, runny yolks, cold spiced kraut — a complete argument in one skillet.

Ingredients

  • 2 large sweet potatoes (1½ lb), peeled, ½-inch dice
  • 3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
  • 1 red onion, diced · 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika · ¾ tsp kosher salt
  • 4 eggs · sliced scallions · hot sauce

Method

  1. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 Tbsp oil, paprika, salt; roast at 425°F for 25 minutes, turning once, until browned and tender. Roasting beats pan-steaming for crisp edges.
  2. Sauté onion and pepper in the remaining oil until soft and touched with color, 8 minutes; fold in the potatoes.
  3. Fry the eggs, basting with oil, until the whites are set and the edges lacy.
The BuildHash, eggs over, Berbere kraut in cold tangles between the yolks, scallions to finish.
VegetarianGluten-Free

Built for the leftover Berbere pork shoulder — or any good pulled pork. Curtido inside and on top keeps the richness in check.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups pulled pork, warmed with a splash of its juices
  • 4 large flour tortillas
  • 3 cups shredded Oaxaca or Monterey Jack
  • Lacto Curtido · lime crema · cilantro

Method

  1. Heat a dry skillet over medium. Lay in a tortilla; scatter cheese over half, then pork, then more cheese — cheese on both sides of the filling is the glue.
  2. Fold, press, cook 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden and molten.
  3. Rest 1 minute; cut into thirds.
The BuildLime crema for dipping and a heap of cold curtido on top — the traditional pupusa move applied to a quesadilla.

No batter, no fryer — a hard sear on spice-dusted fillets. The curtido is the slaw, so there's no cabbage prep at all.

Ingredients

  • 1½ lb rockfish fillets (snapper or cod fine)
  • 1 tsp cumin · 1 tsp smoked paprika · ½ tsp garlic powder · ½ tsp coriander · 1¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp neutral oil · 1 lime · 8 corn tortillas · cilantro

Method

  1. Pat fish dry; dust both sides with the mixed spices and salt.
  2. Sear in shimmering oil over medium-high, presentation-side down, 3 minutes untouched. Flip, cook 1–2 minutes until it flakes. Squeeze half the lime into the pan; break into large chunks.
  3. Char tortillas over a flame or dry skillet, 20 seconds a side; keep wrapped in a towel.
Lime crema: stir ½ cup crema or sour cream, 1 Tbsp lime juice, ½ tsp zest, pinch of salt.
The BuildTortilla, fish, crema, a big pinch of Lacto Curtido, cilantro, the remaining lime.
PescatarianGluten-Free

The canonical pairing — curtido exists for pupusas. Masa is forgiving once your hands learn it; keep a bowl of water nearby and don't fear patching cracks.

Ingredients

  • Filling: 2 cups shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie is fine) · ½ cup refried beans · ¾ cup shredded quesillo or Oaxaca
  • Dough: 3 cups masa harina · 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 2½–2¾ cups warm water · 1 Tbsp neutral oil, plus more for the griddle

Method

  1. Fold the filling ingredients into a cohesive paste.
  2. Mix masa, salt, and water into a soft, moist dough — softer than playdough, no dry cracks when pressed. Rest 15 minutes; it drinks more water than you expect.
  3. With wet hands, roll a golf-ball-plus of dough, press a deep well, fill with a generous tablespoon, pinch closed, and pat into a ½-inch disc. Cracks: pinch shut with a wet finger.
  4. Cook on a lightly oiled griddle over medium, 4–5 minutes per side, until spotted deep brown. A little cheese leak that fries crisp is a feature.
The BuildServe hot, each pupusa topped with a big cold handful of Lacto Curtido and a thin tomato salsa if you like. This is the pairing the jar was born for.
Gluten-Free

A butter dough that shatters, a savory pork filling, curtido served fresh alongside as the cutting acid.

Ingredients

  • Dough: 3 cups all-purpose flour · 1 tsp salt · 8 oz cold butter, cubed · 1 egg · ⅓ cup ice water
  • Filling: 1 Tbsp oil · 1 lb ground pork · 1 small onion, minced · 2 garlic cloves
  • 1½ tsp cumin · 1 tsp smoked paprika · ½ tsp oregano · 1¼ tsp kosher salt
  • 2 Tbsp tomato paste · ⅓ cup chopped green olives (optional but right)
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tsp water, for sealing and brushing

Method

  1. Dough: cut butter into flour and salt until pea-sized. Whisk egg with ice water; toss in until it just holds. Two discs, chill 1 hour.
  2. Filling: brown pork hard; add onion and garlic, cook soft. Add spices, salt, tomato paste; fry 2 minutes. Off heat, stir in olives. Cool completely.
  3. Roll ⅛ inch; cut 5-inch rounds. Fill with 2 Tbsp, egg-wash the rim, fold, crimp with a fork or rope fold.
  4. Brush with egg wash; bake at 400°F, 22–25 minutes, until deep golden. Rest 10 minutes.
The BuildA bowl of cold Lacto Curtido alongside — a forkful between bites resets the palate the way chimichurri does for beef.

Sweet, creamy, earthy, sour — the curtido completes a flavor square the other three can't make alone.

Ingredients

  • 2 very ripe plantains (deep yellow, black-spotted), sliced ½ inch on the bias
  • 3 Tbsp neutral oil, divided
  • 2 (15 oz) cans black beans, one drained, one with liquid
  • 1 small onion, minced · 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin · ¾ tsp kosher salt · ½ tsp oregano
  • Cooked rice · lime crema · Lacto Curtido · cilantro · lime

Method

  1. Fry plantains in 2 Tbsp oil over medium, 2–3 minutes per side, until caramelized deep gold. Drain; salt lightly.
  2. Sauté onion and garlic until soft. Add beans, cumin, salt, oregano; simmer 10 minutes, smashing a third against the pot to thicken.
  3. Assemble: rice, beans, plantains fanned over, crema drizzled.
The BuildA generous cold pile of Lacto Curtido in the middle, cilantro and lime to finish.
VegetarianGluten-Free

Three moves, huge return. Curtido cuts chorizo fat the way salsa wishes it could.

Ingredients

  • 12 oz fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed
  • 8 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
  • 8 corn tortillas, warmed
  • Lacto Curtido · crumbled cotija · cilantro · hot sauce

Method

  1. Brown the chorizo in a dry skillet over medium, breaking it up, until crisp at the edges, 6–8 minutes. Push aside; pour off all but a slick of fat.
  2. Drop to medium-low; scramble the eggs slowly into soft, glossy curds, folding the chorizo in at the end.
The BuildTortilla, chorizo-egg scramble, a cold pinch of curtido, cotija, cilantro. Hot sauce for those who want it — many won't need it.
Gluten-Free