Choucroute Garnie à Ma Manière
I love the Alsatian sauerkraut dish known as choucroute garnie that I sampled on my first trip to the City of Light. Somehow it just means Paris to me. I will always cringe at the thought of my early version of this classic. Now I’m a bit more sophisticated and yes, I make a point of using juniper berries.
– Serves ten to twelve –
13/4 pounds smoked meaty ham hocks
8 ounces thick-sliced bacon strips, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large onions, chopped
1 teaspoon juniper berries (you may substitute 1/2 cup gin)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
3 bay leaves
2 (2-pound) jars sauerkraut, rinsed and then squeezed dry
21/2 cups dry white wine
2 pounds kielbasa and knockwurst, cut into 4-inch pieces
1 pound frankfurters with natural casings
11/2 pounds small Yukon Gold potatoes
Place the ham hocks in large saucepan. Add enough water to well cover the hocks. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until the meat is very tender, about 2 hours. Transfer the hocks to a medium bowl. Reserve 21/2 cups of the broth. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones and place the meat back in the bowl.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until it is crisp. Using a slotted spoon, place the bacon in the bowl with the meat.
Add the onions, juniper berries, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves to the same pot in which you cooked the bacon. Sauté until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the sauerkraut. Add the reserved broth, the wine, and the gin, if using. Add all the meats and press to submerge them. Boil for 10 minutes, then cover the choucroute, place in the oven, and bake for 11/2 hours.
Meanwhile, cook the potatoes separately in a pot of boiling salted water until tender. Remove the bay leaves and arrange the sauerkraut, meats, and potatoes on one large, deep platter. Serve with a variety of mustards.