Choucroute garni (a goulasch w/bratwurst & smkd. pork cho

8 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
3poundsSauerkraut
½poundsSlab Bacon, cut into 1/2\" dice
2largesOnions, chopped
4Garlic cloves, minced
2Green apples, peeled and chopped fine
½teaspoonDried thyme
2Bay leaves
1tablespoonJuniper berries, bruised
1teaspoonBlack peppercorns, bruised
2cupsDry white wine
4cupsChicken stock
¼cupGoose fat
16smallsNew potatoes
8Links Bratwurst cut into 4\" lengths
½cupWater
8Smoked pork chops
Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Directions

Caution: This recipe will take about 6 to 7 hours of preparation, so give yourself some room, timewise.

Drain the kraut in a colander. rinse under cold running water. Place in a large bowl of cold water. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain in colander. Squeeze out excess moisture by hand. Set aside.

Saute the bacon in a large casserole over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until it has browned and rendered most of its fat. Add the onions. Saute until just barely tender. Add the garlic.

Cook for one minute.

Add the sauerkraut, apples, thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries, peppercorns, wine and stock. Spoon the goose fat over the top. Bring to a simmer. Butter a round of wax paper. Place over the top. Cover.

Cook at a bare simmer for 4 hours.

Add the new potatoes, pushing them down into the sauerkraut. Cook for one more hour.

While the casserole continues to cook, place the sausage with the water in a skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook, turning the sausages several times and pricking them with a fork. Brown the sausages in the fat which remains in the skillet after the water has evaporated.

Set aside.

Brown the pork chops quickly in the sausage fat over moderately high heat. Set aside.

Once the potatoes are nearly tender (after about 1 hour of cooking), add the sausages and pork chops to the casserole, pressing them into the sauerkraut. Cook for another 30 minutes.

Place the pork chops, sausages and potatoes around the edge of a heated serving platter. Mound the sauerkraut in the center of the platter. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

recipe provided by Joel Ehrlich typed into MM format by Mary Riemerman Submitted By MARY RIEMERMAN On 03-30-95