On Sun, 11 Oct 2009 10:11:49 GMT, hahabogus >
wrote:

>Somebody was looking for something to make using duck fat
>
>Choucroute
>Created by Justin North
>
> * Cuisine: French
> * Serves 12 as an accompaniment
>
>This is the French word for sauerkraut, meaning ‘bitter herb’, and is a specialty of Alsace, Lorraine
>and parts of Germany. The dish is finely sliced white cabbage that is then salted and fermented.
>Traditionally it accompanies smoked pork or sausages.
>
>Featured as part of our Cooks and their Books series, this recipe comes courtesy of Justin North,
>owner and manager of renowned Sydney restaurant Bécasse, and Sydney Morning Herald Good
>Food Guide 2009 Chef of the Year.
>
>More Justin North recipes
>Ingredients
>
>15 juniper berries
>10 black peppercorns
>3 star anise
>1 cinnamon stick
>3 cloves garlic
>8 sprigs thyme
>1 bay leaf
>100 g (31?2 oz) Wet Salt (page 9)
>1 large Savoy cabbage, cored and very
>finely sliced
>300 ml (10 fl oz) Rendered Duck Fat
>(page 274)
>2 large onions, very finely sliced
>300 g (10 oz) pancetta, cut into a few big
>chunks
>750 ml (1 1?3 pints) riesling
>Preparation
>
>Crush the juniper berries, peppercorns, star anise and cinnamon in a mortar then add the garlic,
>thyme and bay leaf and pound to a fragrant paste. Scrape into a large mixing bowl, add the salt and
>mix together well. Add the cabbage to the bowl and mix together thoroughly. Cover with cling film
>and leave in a warm place for 24–48 hours to ferment. The longer you leave it, the stronger the
>flavour will be. Tip into a colander and rinse well under running water to remove the salt.
>
>Preheat your oven to 100°C (210°F). Heat a large casserole dish and add the duck fat and onions.
>Sweat for about 10 minutes until soft. Add the cabbage to the pan with the pancetta and riesling.
>Cover with a piece of greaseproof paper cut to the size of the casserole dish. Cover tightly and
>braise in the oven for 4 hours. Stir every 30 minutes to make sure the cabbage cooks evenly and
>doesn’t burn.
>
>Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Tip onto a flat tray and pick out any large pieces of spice.

Interesting kraut prep, thanks... here's the rest of the recipe from
James Beard... I've done this once with wooden barrel kraut from a NYC
Appy, meats grilled just to brown, I used lots of spare ribs in place
of the loin, served outdoors because it gets messy. Makes a hellava
cookout. I posted this years ago:


Choucroute au Champagne House & Garden | December 1959
by James A. Beard

Choucroute is traditionally cooked in champagne but if you wish to be
more economical you can cook it in white wine and add a split or two
of champagne at the table.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Salt pork slices
2 to 3 onions, sliced
Several cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
4 to 5 pounds sauerkraut
Large piece salt pork
Freshly ground black pepper
Champagne (white wine may be substituted)
Smoked pork loin, bratwurst, vaurenwurst, knockwurst, or frankfurters

Line a deep kettle with slices of salt pork, add the sliced onions and
chopped garlic. Put the sauerkraut on top with a large piece of salt
pork and grind plenty of pepper over it. Add just enough champagne or
white wine to cover the sauerkraut. Simmer on top of the stove or in a
300°F oven for 4 to 6 hours. The longer it cooks, the better it will
be.

Smoked pork loin is a natural accompaniment for choucroute. Roast it
for 10 to 15 minutes per pound or until thoroughly heated through.
Bratwurst, vaurenwurst, knockwurst, and good well seasoned
frankfurters are also tasty additions. Use any or all these meats. To
serve, heap the choucroute in the middle of a platter and arrange
slices of meat around it.

If the sauerkraut was cooked in white wine, place half a bottle or two
splits of champagne in the center of the sauerkraut. At the table,
give the bottle a good shake and remove corks so the champagne gushes
out over the sauerkraut. Serve with plain boiled potatoes. With this,
drink champagne or Riesling.
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