Serves 4
Pete Johnson's Craftsbury Village Farm grows cabbage and ferments it into beautiful sauerkraut. This is one way to use the sauerkraut in a vegetarian dish.
| 2 | tablespoons butter |
| 1 | onion, chopped |
| 2 | pounds sauerkraut, drained |
| 1 | teaspoon caraway seeds |
| 5 | juniper berries |
| 2 | whole cloves |
| 4 | black peppercorns |
| 1/2 | cup hard apple cider or dry white wine |
| 1/3 | cup water |
2. In a deep flameproof casserole melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 8 minutes or until translucent. Add half the sauerkraut.
3. In a piece of cheesecloth, tie together the caraway seeds, juniper berries, cloves, and peppercorns. Set the packet on the sauerkraut. Add the remaining sauerkraut and pour the cider or wine and the water over it. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cover the pot and transfer to the oven.
4. Cook the sauerkraut for 1 hour (it will still be crunchy) or for up to 3 hours (for very tender sauerkraut). Add more water during cooking, if necessary, to keep the sauerkraut from becoming too dry.
5. Remove the spice bag. Jonathan Levitt
