Choucroute (stewed sauerkraut with smoked meats)
8 servings
60 minutes
Choucroute can be called the older brother of our solyanka. It is believed that the first recipe for stewed cabbage with smoked meats appeared in Alsace many centuries ago. However, there are differences in the two related dishes: if solyanka is prepared from both fresh and sauerkraut, then in Alsace it is fermented without fail and only then subjected to heat treatment. Also, if in the Russian version cabbage is rarely diluted with other vegetables, then potatoes are very often added to choucroute, and different types of meat are also used in recipes, and in some regions, fish.
1
Melt beef fat in a saucepan.
- Beef fat: 100 g
2
Fry the chopped onion in it until golden brown.
- Onion: 1 head
3
Then add bacon, neck, sausage (like 'Krakowska'), chopped cabbage, garlic, salt, pepper, bay leaf, wine, and simmer everything for an hour on low heat.
- Bacon: 300 g
- Smoked neck: 300 g
- Smoked sausage: 300 g
- Sauerkraut: 800 g
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Salt: to taste
- Ground black pepper: to taste
- Bay leaf: to taste
- Dry white wine: 300 ml
4
Boil the potatoes in their skins.
- Potato: 8 pieces
5
Heat the 'Strasbourg' sausages in salted water without boiling.
- Sausages: 4 pieces
6
Place stewed cabbage, portioned smoked meats, and peeled potatoes on the plate.
- Sauerkraut: 800 g
- Potato: 8 pieces
- Bacon: 300 g
- Smoked neck: 300 g
- Smoked sausage: 300 g
7
Garnish the dish with finely chopped greens.
- Parsley: 1 bunch