Inspired by sauerkraut

Yes, sauerkraut can anchor and inspire a tasty and elegant dish!

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By Tim O’Connor

 

Last fall, when I wrote about a dish I made of ingredients that my friend MB didn’t like, I thought she’d probably never see the column.

She saw the column. I wouldn’t say MB was mad as bees, but she was mildly bothered, so I resolved to make it better.

“Why,” she asked, “couldn’t you write about something I like?”

“What,” I asked, “would you like me to write about?”

I don’t know if it was a small serving of payback, but she said, “Sauerkraut.”

I’m taking this challenge seriously, so I’ve created an elevated sauerkraut dish that is easy to replicate at home. We’ll mix sauerkraut with spicy mayonnaise, surround it with a pork tenderloin pounded out and seasoned like a bratwurst, then wrap all in a spring roll wrapper and serve with butter-poached potatoes and pickled beets. Danke schoen!

The dressing is simply mayo mixed with a bit of Sriracha. We’ll add jarred sauerkraut, from which we’ve squeezed out the juice, and mix with the dressing to give it a creamy texture.

Next, slice the pork thinly on the bias to create ovals. Arrange the pieces between plastic wrap and gently whack with a hammer to make the pork just a bit thinner, as if making a scallopini or a schnitzel. We want it close to paper thin. Season each piece with the bratwurst seasoning.

You can buy spring roll wrappers at most any grocery store. Lay out a wrapper and place pork on it, with a line of creamy sauerkraut down the middle. Leave a bit of exposed edge on the wrapper for a tight seal when rolled, as if you’re rolling a cigarette, or, er, something else you may have rolled at some point in your life. When rolling, turn in the ends of the wrapper a bit, so your filling remains inside.

Now bring out a cast-iron pot or another shallow pot or pan you use for deep frying. Add oil and fry as if you’re making fried chicken.

Because the pork is so thin and will cook quickly, our focus is getting the spring roll wrapper crispy.

For the potatoes, use russets or new mini potatoes. Use the same poaching method for the beets, which also get my easy pickling treatment.

When all is ready, scatter potatoes and beets around the plate. Add the spring rolls, cut in the middle, and there you have a beautiful dish inspired by sauerkraut.

I hope you like it. I hope MB likes it.

 

Bratwurst seasoning

3 tbsp salt

1 tsp white pepper

1 tsp coriander

1 tsp nutmeg

2 cloves crushed

1 tsp chopped thyme

1 lemon zest

 

Potatoes

Place potatoes in pot with enough water to cover, bring to a boil then let simmer five minutes.

Turn off heat and leave potatoes in the water for eight minutes.

Drain water and let potatoes sit. When ready to serve, warm 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of butter in a pan. Add potatoes and gently poach until warm.

 

Pickling liquid and beets

1 cup vinegar

3/4 cup water

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp pickling spice

Bring to a boil.

Peel and cut beets, place in a pot with enough water to cover. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and let beets sit in water for 8 minutes.

Remove from water and allow to sit

When ready to serve, in a pan warm 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4 cup of butter, place beets in pan and gently poach until warm.

Place beets into a container and strain pickling liquid over them. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit for at least an hour.

 

Tim O’Connor was raised in the Glebe and is head chef at Flora Hall Brewing.

 

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