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.\" setup for recipe document, to be printed by rctypeset, rcshow or rcbook
.\"
.\" Type Codes:
.\"   A  appetizer, snack	B  bread, pasta
.\"   D  desert			L  Beverage		M  main dish
.\"   O  other			S  sauce		SL  salad
.\"   SP  soup			V  vegetable dish
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\"   no longer used: [C  cake, cookie, candy]
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" .RH MOD.RECIPES-SOURCE "RECIPE-ID(<=15 UC char)" "type code" "date"
.RH MOD.RECIPES-SOURCE "SAUERKRAUT-BRAS" "V" "3/9/96"
.\" .RZ "RECIPE TITLE IN CAPITALS" "One-line description of it"
.RZ "CHOUCROUTE BRAIS\*(E'E \*(A` L'ALSACIENNE" "\fIchoucroute brais\*(e'e \*(a` l'alsacienne\fP, sauerkraut braised with wine, stock, aromatic vegetables and spices"
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Introductory comments; use .PP between paragraphs.
.\" Cite full cookbook reference or other sources.
A classic dish.
.PP
Serve with fowl or with pork, ham, or sausage, any of which may be cooked
with the sauerkraut, enhancing the flavor of both.
And with buttered eggs noodles.
.PP
From JC, page 496.
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Ingredients Header; give servings or volume.
.IH "4-6 servings"
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Ingredient entry: .IG "amount" "item"
.\" optionally followed by lines of text with qualifying information
.\" and so forth for additional .IG items.
.\" Use .sp # to space between blocks of ingredients.
.IG "" "5- to 6-qt covered fireproof casserole,"
if meat is to be cooked with the sauerkraut, otherwise half this size
.IG "" "hot serving platter"
.sp
.IG "2 lbs" "sauerkraut,"
about 4 cups fresh or canned (about 2.8-3.3 cups per lb canned)
.sp
.IG "1/2 lb" "bacon"
or
.I salt pork, preferably the latter
.sp
.IG "1/2 cup" "carrots,"
or more,
thinly sliced
.IG "1 cup" "onions,"
or more,
sliced
.IG "1-2 Tbsp" "fat"
(butter, rendered fresh pork fat or goose fat)
.sp
.IG "" "large herb bouquet:"
4 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf, 6 peppercorns, 10 juniper berries, 
tied in cheesecloth
.IG "1/3 cup" "dark brown sugar;"
OPTIONAL, but recommended
.IG "" "salt, pepper,"
to taste
.IG "1/4 cup" "gin,"
if no juniper berries in the herb bouquet; OPTIONAL, and perhaps better if
not used
.IG "1 cup" "dry white wine"
or 2/3 cup \fIdry white vermouth\fP
.IG "2-3 cups" "white stock,"
\fIbrown stock\fP, or \fIcanned beef or chicken bouillon\fP;
or 1-1/2 oz \fIglace de viande\fP in a small amount of hot water
.sp
.IG "" "round of buttered paper"
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Procedure header
.PH
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Procedure step: SK step_number
.\" followed by text describing that step
.\" and so forth for additional steps
.SK 1
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
.SK 2
Remove the rind and cut the bacon into strips 1/2 inch wide and 2
inches long,
or if bulk bacon or salt pork, into lardons 1/3 by 1/3 by 1 inch.
Blanch by simmering 10 minutes in 2 quarts of water.
Drain.
.SK 3
Drain the sauerkraut.
Optionally, 
soak it in a large basin of cold water for
15 minutes or more, changing the water 3 times;
taste the sauerkraut, and when the briny flavor has been sufficiently
removed, drain it.
The wash appears to be not necessary with currently available canned
sauerkraut.
In small handfuls, squeeze out as much water as you can.
Pick apart the strands.
.SK 4
Cook the bacon or salt pork in the fat or butter 
in the casserole at medium heat, browning it.
Add the carrots and onions, and cook slowly (@3) in the
casserole, covered, for 10 minutes without browning.
.SK 5
Stir in the sauerkraut and mix well to cover them with fat and
vegetables.  Cook slowly (@3) for 10 minutes more.
.SK 6
Bury the spice and herb packet in the sauerkraut.
Optionally, add the brown sugar.
Pour in the wine, and enough stock or bouillon just to cover the
sauerkraut.  Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Bring to the simmer on top of the stove.
.SK 7
Either (a) lay on the round of buttered paper;
cover and set in the middle level of the preheated oven;
regulate heat (275 degrees) 
so sauerkraut just bubbles slowly for 4-1/2 to 5 hours. 
Or (b) more simply, 
simmer uncovered on the stove top (@2-4) for 45 minutes;
degrease after 15 minutes;
cover when the liquid level has reduced to about half its original volume.
The latter procedure appears preferable.
.SK 8
Monitor the dish occasionally, to ensure that the liquid has not
evaporated or been absorbed completely.
At the end of the braising,
all the liquid should have been absorbed if the oven method is used, 
with the long braising time.
However, the liquid makes a tasty sauce; with this in mind, it
may be appropriate to add more liquid (wine, and stock, in the same
mix as above) as needed during braising, to end with perhaps half the
original volume of liquid.
.SK 9
Taste carefully for seasoning.
Turn out on a hot platter, 
if appropriate surrounding or as a base for the meat.
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Notes header
.\" Enter notes (commentary); use .PP to separate paragraphs.
.NX
If meat is to be braised with the cabbage, 
brown it and
add it at an appropriate time before the dish is to be finished,
i.e., about 1 hour for thick pork chops, 
or 1-1/2 to 2 hours for a pork roast.
.PP
If the shorter stove-top braising method is used, 
saut\*(e' the meat until it is nearly cooked and add to the cabbage at half
completion of the braising (after 20 minutes).
.PP
The braising liquid is a tasty sauce, and one might want to add
enough at the start or during cooking so that
not all is absorbed.
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Rating
.SH Rating
.I Difficulty:
easy.
.I Time:
1 hour 20 minutes preparation for the oven; another 20 minutes for
browing the meat.
.I Verified:
fully.
.\" .I Precision:
.\" ?
.\"   ---------------------------------
.\" Wrapup:
.\" Signature information. As a minimum you should list your
.\" name, network address, organization (company, university, etc.), and
.\" the city you live or work in.
.\" .WR
.\" John Rupley.
.\" .br
.\" Department of Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85711
.\" .br
.\" rupley@cs.arizona.edu
