There are many ways to prepare sauerkraut, but one of the best and most famous is choucroute garnie. There are many versions - but all contain various cuts of pork, copious amounts of sauerkraut and white wine. Potatoes are almost always served on the side.
As you will see in the recipes, this dish is not for vegetarians. A good choucroute garnie contains serious amounts of pork. I wouldn't encourage you to eat this every week. It is a great winter party dish to share with 6-8 friends.
If you have not gotten around to making your own homemade sauerkraut yet, you can find good commercial versions in the refrigerator case at your favorite coop or grocery store. Some jarred brands are good, too. Canned sauerkraut is my least favorite.
Here are some links to some good choucroute garnie recipes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/16/dining/16apperex.html?ref=dining
Or this one from Epicurious (I would not use Delicious apples and I might use a little less sausage - but this recipe is still worth checking out.) http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Choucroute-Garnie-102386
Or this from Saveur - see the article accompanying it as well.
http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Sauerkraut-with-Pork-and-Sausages
If these recipes are too overwhelming, there is nothing wrong with a simple dinner of sausage, sauerkraut and vegetables. I like to brown sausages first, then add rinsed sauerkraut, some chopped onions and apples and white wine (about 1/4 cup per sausage). You can add boiling potatoes (cut into chunks if they are large) right into the baking dish. Some chunks of turnip or carrots are good too. I like a high ratio of vegetables to meat in this dish. Cover and bake at 325 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours - until everything is tender and flavors have melded - and enjoy.
Showing posts with label sauerkraut. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sauerkraut. Show all posts
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Inspiration - Winter week #7
In this week's box: Heart of gold squash, green cabbage, mixed potatoes, Sugar Snax and Bolero carrots, parsnips, Dried hot red peppers
Have you read the publicity this week about the U.S. government's new dietary guidelines? There was some big news buried in the usual advice to lower consumption of salt, saturated fat and sugar. (For a copy of the whole report for all you wonks out there, as well as summaries and other details, go to http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm)
First, we are all encouraged to EAT LESS! Who knew? In a nation of all-you-can-eat buffets, gargantuan restaurant portions and ubiquitous vending machines and fast food places, this is not always so easy. For years food manufacturers have lobbied strongly against adding these two words to the dietary guidelines. They like to talk about "food choices" instead. That is because they are in the business of selling us calories. A message telling us to eat less means less sales for the food industry. Since Americans as a group already have available to us way more calories than we need, eating less means less food company revenues, plain and simple. Or it could mean more food waste, which would be a shame. Or we could ignore this advice and keep buying food we don't need and getting fatter, which would be a shame too.
The next piece of big news is that we are advised that fruits and vegetables should take up HALF OUR PLATES. Previous guidelines have just told us to eat more fruits and vegetables. Now the amount is quantified for us - half our plates! This would require a pretty big behavioral change for most people.
CSA members are way ahead of the curve in this vegetable/fruit eating challenge. But I know many dedicated CSA members who still find it difficult to add more fruits and vegetables to their daily meals. Cook more meals at home from scratch and some of this will take care of itself.
Here are a few tricks that help me:
1. Add vegetables to tried and true basics. For example, I add winter squash puree to our breakfast polenta and chopped spinach to spaghetti sauce. Sometimes I put grated carrots in mac and cheese or extra onions and peppers in sloppy joes. Caramelized onions or even cooked sliced potatoes make great pizza topping. I use cole slaw or sliced radishes to add crunch to sandwiches. Put more vegetables in the tuna or hamburger hot dish. For breakfast, make a frittata with lots of vegetables instead of plain scrambled eggs. The possibilities are endless.
2. Soup. Eat a hearty soup featuring vegetables at least once a week. Minestrone can be adapted to make good use of many types of vegetables. If you include some cooked dry beans and pasta, you have a full meal. Here is a July post with a minestrone recipe:http://cookoutofthebox.blogspot.com/2010/07/inspiration-week-7.html
3. Take meat out of the middle of the plate. Don't be afraid to have all vegetable meals once in a while. Last night we had a little pickled herring with crackers as an appetizer for protein. Dinner was baked ratatouille (frozen from last summer) on polenta, with some grated parmesan on top. Tonight dinner was spinach souffle, red cabbage slaw and some winter squash gnocchi with sage butter. There were a few eggs in the souffle and the gnocchi - I didn't worry at all about enough protein. (Besides, tomorrow we are having pork chops for dinner.)
Here are some ideas for ways to use the veggies in your CSA box this week:
Carrots
Salad -- Grate or shred carrots, by hand or in a food processor. Now you can make all kinds of salads, such as:
Carrot apple -- add grated apple to carrots, along with a handful of raisins and some chopped peanuts. Dress with a little orange or lemon juice and honey. Add some plain yogurt if desired.
North African carrot salad - add this dressing to shredded carrots: mix equal parts olive oil and lemon juice - about 3 T each. Add 1 clove minced fresh garlic, 1 t. sugar, 1/2 t. cumin seed, crushed, 1/2 t. crushed dried mint leave, salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add some crushed dried red pepper flakes.
Vietnamese rolls
Moisten rice paper rounds according to package directions. Fill with shredded carrots (radish too if you have some), bean sprouts, chopped tofu, peanuts, cilantro and mint. Roll up and serve with your favorite peanut-chile dipping sauce
Root veggie hash
Cut carrots, parsnips and potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat heavy frying pan, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add cubed vegetables. Cook until browned on one side and then turn. Add chopped onion or shallots when vegetables are almost tender. Serve when vegetables are browned and tender. Add fresh chopped parsley if you have some. Good served with a fried egg on top. Variation: Add a little ground pork or sausage to the vegetables when they are cooking.
Parsnips
Mashed - These are simple and good. Just peel parsnips and cook in salted water until tender. Drain. Mash parsnips with some milk and butter, season to taste with salt and pepper. You could also mix the mashed parsnips with some egg and a little flour. Fry in some butter and voila - pancakes. These would be good on a bed of sauteed cabbage.
Parsnips with dark beer glaze
This recipe is from From Asparagus to Zucchini - the cookbook from the Madison area CSA coalition.
1 pound parsnips, cut into small chunks
1 cup sweet flavored stout or brown ale
1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/8 t. cloves
2 t. butter
salt and pepper
1-2 T maple syrup
Simmer parsnips, stout and spices in a heavy covered pan about 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Remove cover and raise heat so that liquid evaporates and reduces to a glaze. Stir in butter and optional syrup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cabbage
I really encourage you to try making some sauerkraut. You can watch me do it right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWsYJpU-w_8
Next week I will give you some ideas for cooking with sauerkraut (even though it won't be ready for about 3-4 weeks)
Potatoes and squash
Make a simple meal of baked potatoes and baked squash halves. Add some chopped apple and a little butter and honey inside the squash halves. Have some cabbage slaw as a first court and splurge on a nice piece of cheese for dessert, just like the French do.
Have you read the publicity this week about the U.S. government's new dietary guidelines? There was some big news buried in the usual advice to lower consumption of salt, saturated fat and sugar. (For a copy of the whole report for all you wonks out there, as well as summaries and other details, go to http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-DGACReport.htm)
First, we are all encouraged to EAT LESS! Who knew? In a nation of all-you-can-eat buffets, gargantuan restaurant portions and ubiquitous vending machines and fast food places, this is not always so easy. For years food manufacturers have lobbied strongly against adding these two words to the dietary guidelines. They like to talk about "food choices" instead. That is because they are in the business of selling us calories. A message telling us to eat less means less sales for the food industry. Since Americans as a group already have available to us way more calories than we need, eating less means less food company revenues, plain and simple. Or it could mean more food waste, which would be a shame. Or we could ignore this advice and keep buying food we don't need and getting fatter, which would be a shame too.
The next piece of big news is that we are advised that fruits and vegetables should take up HALF OUR PLATES. Previous guidelines have just told us to eat more fruits and vegetables. Now the amount is quantified for us - half our plates! This would require a pretty big behavioral change for most people.
CSA members are way ahead of the curve in this vegetable/fruit eating challenge. But I know many dedicated CSA members who still find it difficult to add more fruits and vegetables to their daily meals. Cook more meals at home from scratch and some of this will take care of itself.
Here are a few tricks that help me:
1. Add vegetables to tried and true basics. For example, I add winter squash puree to our breakfast polenta and chopped spinach to spaghetti sauce. Sometimes I put grated carrots in mac and cheese or extra onions and peppers in sloppy joes. Caramelized onions or even cooked sliced potatoes make great pizza topping. I use cole slaw or sliced radishes to add crunch to sandwiches. Put more vegetables in the tuna or hamburger hot dish. For breakfast, make a frittata with lots of vegetables instead of plain scrambled eggs. The possibilities are endless.
2. Soup. Eat a hearty soup featuring vegetables at least once a week. Minestrone can be adapted to make good use of many types of vegetables. If you include some cooked dry beans and pasta, you have a full meal. Here is a July post with a minestrone recipe:http://cookoutofthebox.blogspot.com/2010/07/inspiration-week-7.html
3. Take meat out of the middle of the plate. Don't be afraid to have all vegetable meals once in a while. Last night we had a little pickled herring with crackers as an appetizer for protein. Dinner was baked ratatouille (frozen from last summer) on polenta, with some grated parmesan on top. Tonight dinner was spinach souffle, red cabbage slaw and some winter squash gnocchi with sage butter. There were a few eggs in the souffle and the gnocchi - I didn't worry at all about enough protein. (Besides, tomorrow we are having pork chops for dinner.)
Here are some ideas for ways to use the veggies in your CSA box this week:
Carrots
Salad -- Grate or shred carrots, by hand or in a food processor. Now you can make all kinds of salads, such as:
Carrot apple -- add grated apple to carrots, along with a handful of raisins and some chopped peanuts. Dress with a little orange or lemon juice and honey. Add some plain yogurt if desired.
North African carrot salad - add this dressing to shredded carrots: mix equal parts olive oil and lemon juice - about 3 T each. Add 1 clove minced fresh garlic, 1 t. sugar, 1/2 t. cumin seed, crushed, 1/2 t. crushed dried mint leave, salt and pepper to taste. If desired, add some crushed dried red pepper flakes.
Vietnamese rolls
Moisten rice paper rounds according to package directions. Fill with shredded carrots (radish too if you have some), bean sprouts, chopped tofu, peanuts, cilantro and mint. Roll up and serve with your favorite peanut-chile dipping sauce
Root veggie hash
Cut carrots, parsnips and potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat heavy frying pan, add olive oil. When oil is hot, add cubed vegetables. Cook until browned on one side and then turn. Add chopped onion or shallots when vegetables are almost tender. Serve when vegetables are browned and tender. Add fresh chopped parsley if you have some. Good served with a fried egg on top. Variation: Add a little ground pork or sausage to the vegetables when they are cooking.
Parsnips
Mashed - These are simple and good. Just peel parsnips and cook in salted water until tender. Drain. Mash parsnips with some milk and butter, season to taste with salt and pepper. You could also mix the mashed parsnips with some egg and a little flour. Fry in some butter and voila - pancakes. These would be good on a bed of sauteed cabbage.
Parsnips with dark beer glaze
This recipe is from From Asparagus to Zucchini - the cookbook from the Madison area CSA coalition.
1 pound parsnips, cut into small chunks
1 cup sweet flavored stout or brown ale
1/4 t. cinnamon, 1/8 t. cloves
2 t. butter
salt and pepper
1-2 T maple syrup
Simmer parsnips, stout and spices in a heavy covered pan about 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Remove cover and raise heat so that liquid evaporates and reduces to a glaze. Stir in butter and optional syrup. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Cabbage
I really encourage you to try making some sauerkraut. You can watch me do it right here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWsYJpU-w_8
Next week I will give you some ideas for cooking with sauerkraut (even though it won't be ready for about 3-4 weeks)
Potatoes and squash
Make a simple meal of baked potatoes and baked squash halves. Add some chopped apple and a little butter and honey inside the squash halves. Have some cabbage slaw as a first court and splurge on a nice piece of cheese for dessert, just like the French do.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Hands On - Sauerkraut
Fermented foods have been around for thousands of years for a reason - they are tasty and nutritious and they store well. If you want to learn about fermentation, a good place to start is sauerkraut. This is a living food. Another example of how bacteria - properly managed - can be our friends.
What you will need:
5 pounds of green winter cabbage - the kind that has a dense head - not loose cabbage like napa. Five pounds of cabbage will make about a gallon of kraut.
2-3 tablespoons kosher salt or pickling salt
A sharp knife and cutting board or a mandoline or other tool for thinly slicing the cabbage
A clean crock or other large nonreactive (glass, food grade plastic, enamel or stainless steel) container
A plate and a weight or other system for weighting down the cabbage
A cover for the crock
A location for the crock that is consistently about 65-70 degrees fahrenheit
The steps (See the steps in pictures - below)
1. Cut up the cabbage. Quarter and core. Slice as thinly as possible. (Make sure you start with a little more than five pounds of cabbage to allow for waste. Please compost the cores and other waste.)
2. Put the sliced cabbage in a large bowl or pan, sprinkle on 2-3 T. of salt. Some say use a little more salt in summer and less in winter. Mix the salt and cabbage with clean hands - squeezing and pressing hard - for a few minutes.
3. Let the cabbage rest about half an hour.
4. Pack the cabbage into the crock or container. Press down hard. You can use a potato masher to do this.
5. Put a clean plate on top of the cabbage - ideally one that just fits inside the cabbage container.
6. Put a weight on top of the plate - you can use a heavy plastic bag full of water, a clean jar full of water or even a clean rock.
7. Cover the crock with a clean towel or plastic wrap.
8. Set the crock in a place that is 65-70 degrees for 7-28 days. Check the crock after the first day - the brine should completely cover the cabbage. You do not want air to reach the cabbage. Fermenation needs an anaerobic environment. If the brine does not cover the cabbage then add more brine -- one cup of water to 1 T. salt.
9. After the first day, you don't need to check the kraut more than once every 5-7 days. Some mold may appear on the surface. If it does, just skim off what you can. Don't worry about this - it is just a result of surface contact with the air. The kraut is under the "anaerobic protection" of the brine. If some brine evaporates, just add more brine to keep the kraut covered.
(Note - the temperature should never go over 72 degrees in the fermentation process. Lower temperature means slower fermentation.)
10. Tasting - after a week or so, remove the weight and plate and taste a bit of the kraut. It is possible to stop the fermentation process at this point if you like kraut this way. You stop the fermentation by lowering the temperature and refrigerating the kraut. You could decide to take some out and eat it and leave the rest to continue fermenting. If you remove some kraut make sure you repack the rest, smooth the top and make sure there is enough brine to cover.
You don't want to let the process continue for more than four weeks. Three weeks is probably ideal. It depends on the temperatures your crock is living in. It is not good to let the kraut become soft. The flavor will be less pleasant.
11. Storing - when the kraut has reached the flavor you like, just pack it into clean glass jars, with the brine, and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for months. Kraut can be canned but the heat processing will change it. I prefer "living" sauerkraut.
12. Sauerkraut juice - it is okay to drink the brine. Yes it is salty but some consider it a "digestive tonic".
Sauerkraut recipes - You can even join a sauerkraut club at this site. http://www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/
Here are pictures of the steps I use to make sauerkraut.
What you will need:
5 pounds of green winter cabbage - the kind that has a dense head - not loose cabbage like napa. Five pounds of cabbage will make about a gallon of kraut.
2-3 tablespoons kosher salt or pickling salt
A sharp knife and cutting board or a mandoline or other tool for thinly slicing the cabbage
A clean crock or other large nonreactive (glass, food grade plastic, enamel or stainless steel) container
A plate and a weight or other system for weighting down the cabbage
A cover for the crock
A location for the crock that is consistently about 65-70 degrees fahrenheit
The steps (See the steps in pictures - below)
1. Cut up the cabbage. Quarter and core. Slice as thinly as possible. (Make sure you start with a little more than five pounds of cabbage to allow for waste. Please compost the cores and other waste.)
2. Put the sliced cabbage in a large bowl or pan, sprinkle on 2-3 T. of salt. Some say use a little more salt in summer and less in winter. Mix the salt and cabbage with clean hands - squeezing and pressing hard - for a few minutes.
3. Let the cabbage rest about half an hour.
4. Pack the cabbage into the crock or container. Press down hard. You can use a potato masher to do this.
5. Put a clean plate on top of the cabbage - ideally one that just fits inside the cabbage container.
6. Put a weight on top of the plate - you can use a heavy plastic bag full of water, a clean jar full of water or even a clean rock.
7. Cover the crock with a clean towel or plastic wrap.
8. Set the crock in a place that is 65-70 degrees for 7-28 days. Check the crock after the first day - the brine should completely cover the cabbage. You do not want air to reach the cabbage. Fermenation needs an anaerobic environment. If the brine does not cover the cabbage then add more brine -- one cup of water to 1 T. salt.
9. After the first day, you don't need to check the kraut more than once every 5-7 days. Some mold may appear on the surface. If it does, just skim off what you can. Don't worry about this - it is just a result of surface contact with the air. The kraut is under the "anaerobic protection" of the brine. If some brine evaporates, just add more brine to keep the kraut covered.
(Note - the temperature should never go over 72 degrees in the fermentation process. Lower temperature means slower fermentation.)
10. Tasting - after a week or so, remove the weight and plate and taste a bit of the kraut. It is possible to stop the fermentation process at this point if you like kraut this way. You stop the fermentation by lowering the temperature and refrigerating the kraut. You could decide to take some out and eat it and leave the rest to continue fermenting. If you remove some kraut make sure you repack the rest, smooth the top and make sure there is enough brine to cover.
You don't want to let the process continue for more than four weeks. Three weeks is probably ideal. It depends on the temperatures your crock is living in. It is not good to let the kraut become soft. The flavor will be less pleasant.
11. Storing - when the kraut has reached the flavor you like, just pack it into clean glass jars, with the brine, and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for months. Kraut can be canned but the heat processing will change it. I prefer "living" sauerkraut.
12. Sauerkraut juice - it is okay to drink the brine. Yes it is salty but some consider it a "digestive tonic".
Sauerkraut recipes - You can even join a sauerkraut club at this site. http://www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/
Here are pictures of the steps I use to make sauerkraut.
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