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Sauerkraut for the 'Krauts'
Sauerkraut gave the Germans their nickname 'Krauts',
yet its history goes back much further than the
Germans. Pickled white cabbage was known to the
Greek physician Hippocrates back in the fourth
century BC, but it was regarded as a medicine
rather than a foodstuff. Sauerkraut is indeed
beneficial to health: it is extremely low in calories
and is a source of iron and vitamin C, for example.
Christopher Columbus and James Cook used it to
protect their ships' crews against scurvy. In
Germany, monks took up sauerkraut-making towards
the end of the Middle Ages. Sauerkraut is commonly
cooked with bacon, sausages, pork ribs, pork knuckle
or other fatty meat, but is also found raw as
a salad, and in soups, cakes and stews.
Sauerkraut and potato soup
Ingredients (Serves 5):
1 kg mealy boiling potatoes
1½ litres vegetable stock
2 onions
500 g pork mince
2 tbsp oil
500 g sauerkraut
salt
paprika
black pepper
marjoram
½ - ¾ cup single cream
250 g grated Gouda
Method:
- Peel the potatoes, cook them in the stock
and then purée into a soup with a hand
blender.
- Dice the onions and brown in the oil along
with the mince, then add to the soup.
- Chop the sauerkraut into small pieces and
add to the soup. Cook for about 30 minutes.
Carefully season with salt, paprika, black pepper
and marjoram.
- Add the cream and the cheese for a final touch.
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