Riesling Braised Sauerkraut And Apples Recipes

BRAISED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Place the drained sauerkraut in the insert of a 4-quart slow cooker. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, caraway seeds, thyme, bay leaves, juniper berries or gin, and black pepper. Combine them thoroughly with a fork or with your hands. Scatter the kielbasa on top and bury the hocks in the sauerkraut. Pour in the wine and broth. Cover and cook on LOW for 9 hours, until the juices are bubbling and the sauerkraut has lost its crunch.
• Remove the smoked hocks. If there is any meat on them, remove it and add it to the sauerkraut. Discard the bay leaves. Serve the braised sauerkraut as is with boiled potatoes, or use as a base for choucroute garni.

HARD CIDER-BRAISED SAUSAGES WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown the sausages all over, in batches if necessary, about 5 minutes per batch. Remove to a plate as they brown. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.
• Add the sauerkraut and toss to combine with the onions. Add the thyme, coriander and allspice and stir to combine. Season with pepper. Pour in the cider and reduce by half. Add the stock and brown sugar and return to a simmer. Tuck the sausages back into the pot and simmer, uncovered, until the kraut is very tender and the sauce is flavorful and slightly reduced, 25 to 30 minutes. Season with salt, if needed.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, add the butter and swirl to melt and combine. Serve topped with the parsley.
• Remove any loose leaves from the cabbage head and reserve. Quarter the cabbage and thinly slice, on a mandoline if you have one. (The shreds should be about the thickness of a quarter.) Toss the cabbage in a large bowl with the pickling salt. Work the cabbage through your hands and massage for a minute or two, until the cabbage begins to "sweat" and release some water.
• Thinly slice, then julienne the green apple, leaving the peel on. (Again, use a mandoline if you have one.) Slice the ginger into coins and press with the side of your knife to bruise them slightly and release their oils. Add the apples, ginger and allspice berries to the cabbage and toss well. Let sit for an hour or two, until the cabbage has released quite a bit of water.
• Pack the cabbage mixture into a large, wide-mouthed crock and press down very firmly until the liquid the cabbage has released covers it. (Depending on the age of your cabbage, it may release less water; a fresher cabbage will release a lot of water, while a cabbage that has been stored all winter will release less.) If the cabbage is not covered, mix together 1 quart cold water and 4 1/2 teaspoons pickling salt until dissolved and pour over enough to cover the cabbage.
• Use a couple of the reserved whole cabbage leaves to cover the surface of the cabbage. Cover with a plate (or the weight provided, if you have a fermenting crock) and set something heavy on top to weight it. (You can use cans. Many people like to use a resealable plastic bag filled with the same salted water solution used above because it weights evenly and if it leaks, it doesn't ruin the fermentation process.) Store the crock in a cool, dry place.
• Check the kraut after 2 days. There should be a few bubbles around the sides. Skim any scum that has risen to the surface. Check the kraut every few days and repeat skimming, if needed. Depending on the temperature of your room, the kraut should be ready after about a week. (Some people ferment for a couple of weeks or more, depending on how funky they want their kraut to be.)
• Divide the kraut and pack into jars. Store in the refrigerator. Drain and rinse the kraut well (discarding any ginger pieces) before using.

CHOUCROUTE GARNIE

Steps:

• Place ham hocks in large saucepan. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer hocks to medium bowl. Boil broth until reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones; discard bones. Place hock meat in medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover hock meat and broth separately; chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add bratwurst and bacon. Sauté until bacon is crisp and bratwurst is brown, about 10 minutes. Place in bowl with hock meat.
• Add onions, spices and bay leaves to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add apples; sauté 2 minutes. Mix in sauerkraut. Add all meats; press to submerge. Add reserved broth and wine. Boil 10 minutes. Cover choucroute and bake 1 1/2 hours.
• Meanwhile, cook potatoes in pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain; cool slightly. Cut potatoes in half. Dip cut sides into parsley. Arrange sauerkraut and meats on platter. Surround with potatoes. Serve with mustards and horseradish.

SAUERKRAUT WITH APPLES

Steps:

• Cook onion in butter in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 6 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut, apples, and wine and bring to a simmer.
• Cover pot and reduce heat, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauerkraut is very tender, about 2 hours.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add more brown sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.
• What to drink:
• Josmeyer Les Folastries Gewürztraminer '05

SAUERKRAUT AND APPLES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook, stirring often, until fat has started to render, about 5 minutes.
• Toss onion and apples in the fat and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut.
• Add beer and season with pepper and caraway seeds. Bring mixture to a boil, then cover the pot. Reduce heat so mixture is just simmering and cook for 45 minutes. Or transfer the covered pot to a 350-degree oven and bake for 1 hour. Stir and serve hot.