Choucroute (Sauerkraut)
Description
Undoubtedly the most famous dish of Alsatian gastronomy. The term sauerkraut is often wrongly associated with a complete dish. Sauerkraut is actually cabbage cut into strips using a special grater, which has been subjected to fermentation in brine. It is sauerkraut garnished which designates the complete dish consisting of sauerkraut and an assortment of meats and charcuterie. A dry white wine, preferably Riesling, or a beer will go perfectly with your garnished sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1,8 kilograms sauerkraut
- 1 onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 dozen juniper berries
- fat
- sal
- pepper
- 1/2 liters white wine
- 400 grams smoked pork belly
- 400 grams loin of pork (tender)
- beef saussage
- 1 smoked pork shoulder (approx. 1.2kg)
- poached knuckle of ham
- 1 dozen potatoes (small)
Instructions
- Wash with coldwater and dry off all surplus water. Place the sauerkraut in a casserole and add lightly browned onions, cloves, juniper berries, garlic, fat, sal and pepper and finally a glass of white wine (Riesling or crémant d'Alsace). Cover and cook for one hour.
- Add smoked bacon and loin of pork, and simmer gently for two hours.
- Place the sauerkraut on a dish and cover with the bacon and loin of pork, and simmer gently for two hours.
- Serve the beef saussage, pork shoulder and poached knuckle of ham on top.
- Surround the edge of the dish with steamed potatoes.
Instructions
Note
In Strasbourg, liver dumplings are added, in Colmar, Strasbourg sausages are replaced by Frankfurt sausages. Other pieces of cured pork can accompany sauerkraut, but never ham!
choucroute, sauerkraut