Once in a while you should cook something that scares you. Builds character. That said, I decided against the scariest recipe I could find on the new sauerkraut.com website: grape Jell-O with sauerkraut and hot dogs. My brain recoils at the very thought.

Instead I picked a salad of macaroni and sauerkraut, which sounded kind of yuck, but worth a whirl.

A couple of reasons to bless this union: No. 1, if Hawaii had a state salad, it would be macaroni, but in its traditional state, mac salad has zero (or negative) nutritional value. No. 2, if Hawaii had a state spicy pickle, it would be kim chee. And if kim chee had a distant cousin, it would be sauerkraut. Cabbage, salt, fermentation so close and yet so far.

Combined, these elements could yield a dish with local appeal and a nutritional boost. Sauerkraut brings with it the side effects of fermentation: probiotics, phytochemicals and isothiocyanates, all said to fight illness and keep the body in balance. Plus, this salad uses yogurt in place of mayonnaise, and includes fruit! You could also boost healthfulness by using whole wheat pasta or the tricolor type made with vegetables.

Sauerkraut.com launched in February by the Freemont Co., which makes two brands of sauerkraut, Frank’s and Snowfloss offers plenty of information on the health benefits of that main ingredient as well as lots of recipes.

The kraut-mac salad turned out so well tart, sweet, creamy, chewy that I moved on to a pork dish with sauerkraut and applesauce. Also a successful choice, with the tang of the sauerkraut mellowing over more than an hour of slow roasting.

But I’m going nowhere near the Jell-O and hot dogs.

SAUERKRAUT AND MACARONI SALAD
1 pound sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and roughly chopped
1 cup cooked elbow macaroni (regular, whole wheat or tricolor)
3/4 cup cooked ham, diced
1 cup seedless grapes, cut in half (see note)
1/4 teaspoon EACH salt and pepper
» Dressing:
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey

In serving bowl, combine sauerkraut, macaroni, ham and grapes.

Whisk dressing ingredients together; pour over salad in bowl and toss until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Let sit 10 minutes before serving (or may be made in advance and refrigerated several hours). Serves 6 as a side dish. Serve over bed of greens to make a main dish salad.

Note: Diced apples, mango or other firm fruit, or dried fruit such as raisins or cranberries may be substituted for grapes. For less sweetness, use cucumbers instead.

Approximate nutritional information: 130 calories, 2.5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 730 mg sodium, 21 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 12 g sugar, 7 g protein 

COUNTRY RIBS AND KRAUT
3 pounds boneless country-style pork ribs
1 pound sauerkraut, drained
2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon caraway seeds (optional)

Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place ribs in roasting pan and roast bone side up for 20 minutes.

Reduce heat to 250 degrees. Pour off fat from pan and discard. Turn ribs.

Combine remaining ingredients and spread over ribs. Cover and bake 90 minutes to 2 hours, until meat is tender and cooked through.

Let sit 5 minutes, then slice pork. Serve topped with sauerkraut mixture. Serves 6.

Approximate nutritional information: 700 calories, 54 g fat, 17 g saturated fat, 185 mg cholesterol, 550 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 13 g sugar, 36 g protein

Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.

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