Kitchen Diary

Yesterday we had our annual Christmas party. All in all thirty people needed to be fed. It is snowing in Toronto, so something hearty and warming was needed.

I still had half a crock of sauerkraut in the basement, so Choucroute Garnie à l’Alsacienne seemed like a good idea. There are many recipes out there, and you can improvise easily, but the following is  a good starting point. I added pig’s feet and duck sausage to the mix, omitted the slab bacon. I also smoked the sausages, the pig’s feet and the pork belly.

1-1/2 lbs, fresh ham hocks
1/4 cup goose fat
3 small yellow onions,
peeled and finely chopped
4-1/2 lbs. sauerkraut,
drained and rinsed
3-1/4 cups Alsatian riesling or
other dry but fruity white wine
1-1/2 lbs. boneless pork loin
1 lb. smoked ham
1/2 lb. slab bacon
Bouquet garni with 1 head garlic, 3 whole cloves,
6 juniper berries, and 5 coriander seeds added
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 medium red bliss potatoes, peeled
6 fresh pork sausages,
such as saucisses de Strasbourg
3 blood sausages (optional)
1 tbsp. peanut oil
6 smoked pork sausages

1. Place ham hocks in a large pot. Cover with water and simmer over medium heat for 1-1/2 hours. Drain and set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt goose fat in a dutch oven, or a large heavy pot with a lid, over medium heat. Add onions, cook until soft, 10-15 minutes, then add sauerkraut, wine, ham hocks, pork loin, ham, bacon, and bouquet garni. Season with salt and pepper, cover, and cook in oven until meats are tender, about 1-1/2 hours.

3. About 35 minutes before serving, place potatoes in a pot of salted water over medium-high heat and cook until tender, 20-25 minutes. Drain and keep warm.

4. Prick fresh and blood sausages, if using, with a fork, then place in a skillet, cover with water, and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Drain. Dry skillet, add oil, and heat over medium heat. Brown fresh and blood sausages (if using), turning occasionally, then remove. In the same oil, adding more if necessary, brown smoked sausages, turning occasionally, then remove. To serve, spoon sauerkraut onto a large platter, discarding bouquet garni. Slice pork loin, ham, and bacon, and arrange on platter with ham hocks, potatoes, and all sausages.