Waltraut's Sauerkraut Soup and Bauernbrot

Waltraut’s Sauerkraut Soup

 

This recipe came from my friend, Waltraut Gollasch, in Hamburg, Germany, the mom of our exchange student Hauke. When I first tried this I did not think I would like it as I’m not crazy about sauerkraut, but this was my favorite dish we had while in Germany! This has definitely become a favorite of all my family!

 

2 pounds smoked ham, about 2 cups diced

5 tsp. oil

1 c. chopped onion

3 medium potatoes, washed and cut into bite sized chunks

5 carrots, sliced

2 celery, sliced

3 red bell peppers, chopped

1 ½ pounds sauerkraut-I like the fresh, bagged kind the best, but any kind works

2 quarts vegetable broth

5-10 garlic cloves, minced

3 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped or 2 large cans diced tomatoes

2 bay leaves

7 ounces tomato paste

1 cup white wine

2+ cups cooked red beans

2 Cabanossi sausages, I use kielbasa because I haven’t been able to find the Cabanossi

Salt & pepper

1 tsp paprika

Sugar, optional

Sour cream (I have even used plain Greek yogurt and it is just as good!)

 

Heat oil, add ham and onions. Cook until onions are transparent. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, and red bell peppers. Cook about 5 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and cook a few minutes longer. Add broth and simmer 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, wine, beans, and sausages. Season soup with salt, pepper, paprika, and a little sugar, if needed. Simmer on low 2-3 hours. Add more broth if needed.

 

To serve, place soup in bowl and add a large spoonful of sour cream.

 

 This freezes extremely well, so make a double batch each time you make it.

 

 

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I like to serve this with a good rye bread. I found an easy one for the bread machine. I actually use the dough cycle then bake in my own oven.

 

Bauernbrot (brown bread)

 

Place ingredients in order in your bread machine. This is for one large loaf.

 

1 1/2 c water

2 Tbsp molasses

1 tsp salt

3 cups bread flour

1 cup dark rye flour (original recipe calls for 1 cup of buckwheat flour instead)

4 Tbsp vital wheat gluten

2 tsp caraway seed

3 tsp yeast

 

Select Dough setting, and press start.

When done, take out and place in greased bread pan or 2 smaller bread pans.

Cover and let rise 45-60 minutes.

Bake at 350º for 45-60 minutes.

 

Remove from oven, cool and enjoy with your Sauerkraut Soup!

 

Mahlzeit! Enjoy!

Salsa Quemada or for you gringos, Fire Roasted Salsa

I'm a little late posting this, but last week I canned up a bunch of my favorite Salsa, Salsa Quemada or for you gringos, Fire Roasted Salsa. It gets its name Quemada (burned) by roasting all of the vegetables.

 

Salsa Quemada

 

makes about 7 quarts

 

• 7 pounds fresh tomatoes
• about 5 pounds fresh chili peppers, I like to use a mixture. This year I used Big Jim, Jalapeno, and Poblanos
• 4-6 large onions, peeled and cut in half
• 1/2-1 cup fresh garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 medium sized bunches of cilantro
• 1/3 cup vinegar
• salt, to taste

 

Wash tomatoes and peppers. Wash cilantro and allow to dry well. Fire up grill, when hot roast the peppers, onions and garlic until they are almost burned, like in the picture. When they are done roast the tomatoes. I do the tomatoes last because they make the biggest mess and I only have to clean the grill once. Allow vegetables to cool.

Remove tops off peppers and remove most of the seeds. You might want to use gloves, but I actually use 2 knives and don't actually touch the peppers.

Place the vegetable as well as the cilantro in a blender and blend until chopped evenly. Do this in batches, making sure you get a few tomatoes in all batches as the juice makes it blend better. Pour into a large kettle. Add vinegar and salt to taste. You can adjust flavors and peppers to your specific taste. Mix very well.

Bring salsa to a boil and put into hot, sterilized jars. Pressure Can at 15# for 15 minutes, for Colorado altitude.

 

This does not have to be canned. I make it fresh all the time, I just leave out the vinegar if I am not canning! I also adjust down all the amounts of ingredients, unless I need a large amount!

 

Seriously my favorite Salsa!!!!!