Pork with Sauerkraut, Onions and Mushrooms

Sauerkraut is a smell and taste I associate with my Grandmother. She made pork chops with it and spare ribs. I’m sure it had much to do with Grandpa’s German stock and my family’s own Eastern European heritage where cabbage is king.

This is the perfect autumnal dish. It easily serves two and the ingredients are inexpensive. The meat from a ham hock can be tough, so be sure to give it a good dice. Keep the mashed potatoes simple and on the thick side.

I use inexpensive “pork sizzlers.” Don’t use a pork chop—way too dry and thin. You want a kind of fatty pork with lots of flavor and on the thick side. Pork butt or Boston Butt is just fine. I use an enamel-lined, cast-iron Dutch oven.

This is not the prettiest dish for serving. But it more than makes up for it in taste. Feel free to add a carrot or two for some added color and a flurry of parsley for presentation.

Ham hocks once were cheap. Not anymore. And I'm having a difficult time finding them. Sliced, smoked ham shanks work well, too. One could add smoked kielbasa, but I prefer the ham hock. 

Serves 2-3

1 hefty cup cubed pork (a good 8 oz. or 1/2 pound)
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion (4 oz)
1 cup peeled, diced Golden Delicious apple
1/2-3/4 cup freshly chopped button mushrooms, stems removed
1 8-ounce can plain or Bavarian-style sauerkraut
Garlic powder
Dried rubbed sage
Dry white wine
Canned chicken stock
1 smoked ham hock, rinsed

Preheat oven to 300-350.

Drain and squeeze the sauerkraut but save the can juices. Rinse it in a sieve under cold water. Squeeze dry.

Place the saved juice in a one-cup measuring cup. Add enough dry white wine to make 1/2 cup. Now add the chicken stock to make one cup.

Sautee the onions and mushrooms in a small pan with a bit of butter and olive oil until they soften and the mushrooms begin to give up their juices. Remove from heat and save.

Dust the cubed pork with a bit of garlic powder and the rubbed sage. In a small, heavy Dutch oven, melt a bit of butter and olive oil. Add the cubed pork and cook until it begins to brown. Add the chopped apples and stir. Add the onion and mushrooms. Stir. Now add the drained sauerkraut. Stir. Add the one-cup of liquid and the ham hock. Stir, cover, and bring to a slow simmer. Season with a bit of pepper. The ham hock and chicken stock will give it all the salt it needs.

Remove from heat and place in oven. Slow cook for about 1 hour. Periodically uncover and check to see that it doesn’t dry out. You don’t want the sauerkraut to brown. If necessary, add a bit more stock or water.

When done, remove the ham hock to plate or board to cool. Prepare the potatoes. When the ham hock is cool enough to handle, remove as much meat as possible from it (there won’t be a lot). Finely dice, return to the Dutch oven and stir.

To serve, place a mound of potatoes in the middle of a plate and spoon the sauerkraut/pork mixture on top. This is even better re-heated the next day. Great peasant food!

Note: I have not doubled this recipe and if you do, you may need to adjust the amount of liquid.

January 20, 2009

By Gary T. Czerwinski


I already Miss George W. Bush.

No public official made a columnist’s job so easy. All W. had to do was to open his mouth and it was a cinch to type out 500 words why what he had to say was so inane. Or dangerous.

I expect Janurary 20, 2009 his last day in office, will be a day of celebration around the world, the likes of which we’ve never seen. I’m confident it will rival New Year’s, complete with fireworks.

Old W. has mellowed a bit in these, his final days. Gone is his bellicose braggadocio. Gone is the smirk and forced smile. When he appears on television, he’s basically just a footnote that no one wants to read. And no one believes.

I’ve always contended that W. never really felt comfortable in his role as president. His countenance expressed that he wasn’t “elected” president as much as he “pulled it off.”

(What is it with all this facial quirkiness among Republicans? Watching McCain’s grimaces, eye-rolling, tongue-sticking-out in the third debate, I felt like I was back teaching junior high kids. And then Palin’s wink-wink.)

To give him credit, W. has at least been consistent in his resume. Like most of his previous jobs, he leaves this one much the same: in worse shape and broke. Not only is our own economy in a toilet that Joe the Plumber can’t figure out, but the rest of the world’s is jeopardized as well. And to think he began his presidency with a budget surplus! Aren’t you glad he had an MBA?

Ironically, one of the best things he managed to accomplish was to ruin his own party, the GOP. It’s no wonder conservatives like Colin Powell and Christopher Buckley, (son of William F. Buckley considered the “father of modern conservatism”) are jumping ship. If McCain loses, it’s because he’s been unable to organize a winning coalition or message. In his acceptance speech at the GOP convention, that message or theme was “fight with me!”

Huh? Fight?

Americans are tired of fighting. Fight in Iraq. Fight to pay for gasoline. Fight to pay high food costs. Fight to keep your job. That’s all we’ve been doing for eight years. For too long, families have fought just to stay afloat and to feel optimistic in a querulous world his presidency helped to create.

Contrast that to Barack Obama’s stellar campaign organization and message of unity and hope. And intellectualism.

Ignorance and greed can’t grow a nation.

Does W. have any remorse for the damage he’s done and lives he’s ruined? One has to wonder. When he walks the White House halls alone, does he ever wonder, “God, I really screwed up?”

I know there are still die-hards who fervently believe in poor W. There are those who blindly believe his failed policies will somehow be vindicated by history and that his foreign policy has been prescient. But they are the same who believe Sarah Palin is ready to assume the presidency.

Unfortunately, W. is not quite out the door yet. I’m sure he’s already preparing a list of “pardons.” Unknown facts and circumstances will surface as historians sift through the verbiage of his disasters. Slips of the tongue will reveal new details. His visage will drift in and out of focus. But one thing is certain: I doubt that face will ever appear on any of our currency he so infamously devalued. And defamed.

Apple-Onion Casserole

A regional classic featuring apples, onions, herbs and bacon. A great accompaniment to ham and pork. I like it cold, too.

This recipe is adapted from my Grandma’s old cookbook. It sounded so whacky I had to try it. It’s almost a meal in itself and the first time I made it I almost ate all of it. I suspect it’s an old recipe with ingredients that were cheap and which most housewives would have had on hand. 

When I lived in SW Michigan, I had access to a myriad of apple varieties. One of my favorite roadside stands was run by a little old lady who grew old apple varieties and could tell you what kind of apple it was by just looking at it ... ten feet away! She was a rarity who still grew Winesaps which I love. A bowl of Winesaps will scent an entire room! Always add one to your apple pie. 

If you choose to use rosemary, use fresh; dried rosemary needles can be annoying in one's mouth . . .

• 3 medium-sized onions
• 2 medium-sized, crisp apples
• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 cup soft, cubed bread crumbs, crusts removed
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• Dried/fresh thyme leaves and/or rosemary needles. Give a good mince.

Peel and slice onions thinly, about 1/8 inch. I used yellow sweet onions.

Peel and core apples then slice into rings. I've tried using "chunks" but it doesn't work as well. Thin slices of apple "rings" work best and look the best when layered with the onion. You may choose to keep the skin on, and,  for a more festive look around Christmas, use a red and green apple. If you can find them, Ida Reds are nice and will a pink blush.

Cut bacon into smaller pieces and sauté/fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain and cool. Add the bread cubes to the bacon “renderings” to coat. Remove to a bowl. In the same pan, add chicken broth, a pinch or two of dried thyme or rosemary (or both!). Bring to a boil and reduce to a bit less than 1/2 cup.

Butter a 1.5 quart glass-baking dish. Arrange the apples, onions and bacon in alternate layers. Pour in the broth mixture. Cover the top with the fat-soaked bread cubes.

Cover the dish and bake in a 375-degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Uncover it and cook for another 15 minutes longer.

Notes: It's important to have crisp apples. If the apples are soft, they will cook before the onions. You want everything the same texture.

Macaroni and Cheese with Eggs, Milk, Onion

The beauty and ease of this mac-and-cheese is that there is no Bechamel sauce!

Here's one without the tomato. A little sour cream never hurt.

This old-fashioned macaroni and cheese is a "craft" made with a simple custard of milk and eggs. It’s a wonderful side for meatloaf or ham and good on its own with a simple salad and bread. I’ve used many different cheeses and have settled on the combination of soft Fontina (or Fontinella) and aged, sharp Cheddar, white or yellow (don't be afraid to add any cheese leftovers you might have on hand, especially some Mozzarella). But cheese has gotten so expensive that I now use Muenster and Cheddar and I really love the taste that the Muenster brings. Overall, I use about 2.5- just under three cups of cheese. Some people use all Velveeta.

In the South, this is sometimes called "Macaroni Pie" because it is really not as creamy as we are used to today. Instead, it kind of "slices." Generations grew up on this. When you look through cookbooks from the 1930's -1940's, this is most likely the recipe you will see. This is from my grandmother's old cookbook.

Use a variety of cheeses, if possible. Here, the tomatoes have been peeled
after being dunked in boiling water for about 20 seconds.

You don't have to top with the tomatoes, but it's a nice touch and it's something my grandmother would have done, especially in the summer months when tomatoes were in grandpa's garden.

It's a shame that so many generations have grown up thinking mac-n-cheese is something poured out of a blue box. Where's the "craft" in "Kraft?"

• 1 cup small, raw elbow macaroni (about 4 oz.)
• 8 oz. American or Velveeta Chesse
• 4 oz. grated sharp Cheddar
• Freshly Grated Parmesan, about 4 oz. and more for topping
• 1/2 stick butter, softened to room temperature, divided
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
• 1 can evaporated milk 
• 1/2 cup whole milk, extra, if needed
• 1/2 cup sour cream or whipped cottage cheese or a combination
• 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 4-6 drops Tabasco 
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• A few sprinkles garlic powder
• Several grates of fresh nutmeg, less is more (optional)
• 1 good teaspoon regular black pepper (or to taste)
• 3 tablespoons grated onion (red or yellow) or 1.5 - 2 tablespoons dried minced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, but I love it) 
• 6 drops Worcestershire sauce or to taste (less is more)
• Bacon Fat for buttering dish (or butter)

• 3-4 Roma tomatoes, skinned cut into 1/2-inch slices (optional)
• Bread crumbs. I prefer fresh but Panko works, too.
• Dried, Italian seasoning, a few shakes
• 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
• 1-2 tablespoons melted butter or use olive oil, just enough to moisten crumbs

Butter or spray a 1.5 quart glass baking dish or an 8 x 8-inch baking dish or a 6-7 inch x 10-inch baking dish.

Bring a  pot of water to a rolling boil. Using a slotted spoon, drop in the tomatoes one at a time for about 20 seconds. Remove and run under cold water. Remove the skin. When all the tomatoes are skinned, bring water back to a boil and parboil macaroni in salted water. Drain. Add soft butter. Stir. Allow to cool a bit.

Over a small bowl, scrape a peeled onion over the large holes of a box grater until you have three to four tablespoons or, if using, add dried onion flakes to the bowl.  Stir in evaporated milk. Whisk in the egg, Tabasco or Cayenne, salt, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce and, if using, smoked paprika. Taste for seasoning. If too sharp for your taste, and a few pinches of sugar. Now whisk in the eggs.

Pour milk/egg mixture over cooled pasta. Mix.

Gently stir in the cheeses until well-combined. Transfer mixture to greased baking dish. You want the liquid just a bit right beneath the surface. If necessary, add a bit more milk, but you do not want the surface covered with it.

If using, slice the tomatoes and arrange on top and, if using, sprinkle with some Italian  seasonings. Sprinkle with Parmesan or extra cheese and then sprinkle with a bit more smoked paprika or regular paprika.

Mix together the fresh breadcrumbs with the Parmesan. Add about one tablespoon melted butter and mix. Sprinkle over the tomatoes or tomato-less top. (Sometimes I just omit the breadcrumbs when I use the tomatoes and then top with more cheese.)

Here, I omitted the breadcrumbs and just used more cheese. I
also sprinkled the tomatoes with just a bit of Italian seasonings.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until the sides begin to bubble and the breadcrumbs are nice and brown.

Beautiful!

  I honestly do not remember how I made this particular one, but I liked it a lot.
Just a bit of extra cheese on top. I may have used only 8 ounces of cheese, total. But it is different
from the recipe above. At the last minute, just because I had it,  I did add just a bit
of Feta on the top which was delicious. The kids at work loved it.

To serve, place a generous portion on plate and lightly sprinkle with sea salt or Kosher salt and and a dollop of sour cream on the side or on top. At room temperature, the "pie" will solidify a bit and you can slice it with a knife. Some people top a slice of meatloaf with it.

A Note on Breadcrumbs: I'm not a fan of dried breadcrumbs. To make fresh, just cut the crusts off several pieces of a good hearty bread, tear into pieces and place in a small food processor. Whirl until fresh breadcrumbs form. Fresh makes all the difference. Or use Panko.

Update: I use the pressure cooker to do the pasta .... done in four minutes. Allow to cool.