A hearty bowl of cabbage, mixed meats, mushrooms and sauerkraut. Traditional at Christmas, this stew can be eaten hot or cold.
- 2 large chicken thighs
- 1/2 pound pork, cut into pieces
- 1 large ham hock
- 8 oz kielbasa or other Polish sausage
- 1/2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 2 teaspoons dried juniper berries, crushed
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds crushed
- 2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 Tablespoons bacon fat
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 2 cups green cabbage, chopped
- 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled
- 8 prunes, cut in half
- 1-1/2 cup pilsner (a light, not sweet or bitter beer)
- 1-1/2 cup jarred or homemade sauerkraut
- Salt and pepper to taste
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First, soak the porcinis in 1/2 cup of hot water for 1 to 2 hours to rehydrate them. Save the liquid!
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Place the juniper, cumin, peppercorns and caraway in a pestle and crush the seeds with the mortar.
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In a heavy kettle, heat the bacon fat on medium-high. Add the spices and saute until they are fragrant, about 3 minutes.
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Cut the pork into chunks - add it and the chicken thighs to the kettle to brown them.
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Add the onion, cabbage, mushrooms, prunes and tomato paste. Gently cook for about 5 minutes.
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Stir in 1 cup of water, the mushroom water, paprika and dried marjoram. Add salt and pepper to taste.
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Next, put the kielbasa, ham hock and pilsner in the pot. Bring it to a boil, then cover and cook on low for about an hour.
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Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. When it's cool enough to handle, strip the meat from the bones and add it back to the pot.
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Stir in the sauerkraut and simmer for another 1 to 2 hours.
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Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with mashed potatoes.
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