Sunday Choucroute

This is entirely my own invention.  Try it, change it, have fun and bon appetit!

Sundays I often make a lot of food thinking it will last a few days and it never does.  Anyway... today I made a recipe that I call Choucroute (Sauerkraut).  In fact, sauerkraut is only one of the ingredients.  It's a dish that is inspired by my mother in law's choucroute which was inspired by the year or so they spent in Czechoslovakia.

When I knew her I was young and didn't give a thought to getting her recipe written down.  Too bad because it was a five star delight.

Back to my Choucroute.  I make this from fall to spring and it never fails to make my men smile.  All that pork, cabbage, onions, peppers usually make men smile doesn't it?  Here goes...


List of ingredients for a large crock pot (see photo above):

1. Pork chops without the bone - Ideally, for one row of your crock pot.  I have a large and a small one, the large one takes 6 and the small one takes 3.  These are usually 1 1/2 inch thick but it really doesn't matter how thick they are. 
2. One large onion sliced thinly
3. One half of a large green cabbage
4. Three to four cups (I buy it in a jar and strain it)
5.  Two to three peppers of different colors.  I usually use red and green but yellow and orange are what I had in the fridge . I think that green and red are tastier.
6. Salt, pepper, paprika to taste.  I sprinkle some on each layer.
7. 6 tablespoons olive oil
8. 4-6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (this deepens the flavor as does the paprika, you must add these to taste)

Assembly:

Layer the vegetables on the bottom third of the crock pot: cabbage, sauerkraut, onions, peppers and sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika to taste.
Layer pork chops over vegetables and sprinkle again with seasonings.
Repeat vegetable layer.  Spoon the olive oil and apple cider vinegar on top.
Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.  Longer tastes better.

Serve with a smile and potatoes if your people can't live without starch.  I would make it mashed potato... and a Stella Artois Beer on the side.

Good bootie shaking music!

Prepared today to the sounds of the Boat That Rocked OST. 

Although it's a mere 0 degrees today baby there's snow outside so it qualifies for Choucroute!

Bonne journée,

Stella

p.s.  Should you know something about choucroute and all its forms, I would welcome your variations on this theme or any suggestions to improve my recipe!