My German heritage husband is not overly fond of sauerkraut. This fact is still one of those things that makes me go, huh? What kind of German doesn’t like sauerkraut? I love the stuff so I have devised a way that we can both enjoy the sauerkraut.
If I soak the sauerkraut in a bowl of water for a few minutes and then strain it, rinse it and soak and rinse it a second time then my husband likes sauerkraut. Additionally, soaking and rinsing removes most of the salt from the sauerkraut making the dish healthier. I add a few common German spices to this dish to make up for the reduction in saltiness.
Seitan Beer Brats with Sauerkraut and Baked Potatoes
Serves 2
Ingredients:
½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
28 ounces of sauerkraut, drained and rinsed of excess sodium
1 teaspoon of caraway
1 teaspoon of dill weed (dried)
½ teaspoon of fennel seed
½ teaspoon of sweet paprika
½ cup of water, white wine or beer
2 seitan beer brats
pan spray
2 large Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 4 ounces each)
4 tablespoons of silken tofu, tahini, garlic sauce or tofu sour cream
Directions:
Sauté the onion in olive oil until tender. Add the remaining ingredients, except the seitan beer brats and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes.
Scrub the potatoes and pierce them with a paring knife so they don’t explode in the microwave. Cook until tender. Time will depend on the wattage of your microwave.
Cut the brats on the bias into ½ inch slices. Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium low heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the brat slices. Cook the brat slices on the first side until they are brown and a little crisp (about 3 minutes). Spray the top of the brats before you turn them so that the oiled side will be down. Cook the second side it is also a little crisp. Remove from the pan and keep warm until ready to serve.
To serve, put the sauerkraut on the bottom and top with the crispy brat slices. Garnish the potatoes with a dollop of tofu tahini garlic sauce or tofu sour cream.
If I soak the sauerkraut in a bowl of water for a few minutes and then strain it, rinse it and soak and rinse it a second time then my husband likes sauerkraut. Additionally, soaking and rinsing removes most of the salt from the sauerkraut making the dish healthier. I add a few common German spices to this dish to make up for the reduction in saltiness.
Seitan Beer Brats with Sauerkraut and Baked Potatoes
Serves 2
Ingredients:
½ tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
1 red onion, thinly sliced
28 ounces of sauerkraut, drained and rinsed of excess sodium
1 teaspoon of caraway
1 teaspoon of dill weed (dried)
½ teaspoon of fennel seed
½ teaspoon of sweet paprika
½ cup of water, white wine or beer
2 seitan beer brats
pan spray
2 large Yukon Gold Potatoes (about 4 ounces each)
4 tablespoons of silken tofu, tahini, garlic sauce or tofu sour cream
Directions:
Sauté the onion in olive oil until tender. Add the remaining ingredients, except the seitan beer brats and simmer over low heat for at least 30 minutes.
Scrub the potatoes and pierce them with a paring knife so they don’t explode in the microwave. Cook until tender. Time will depend on the wattage of your microwave.
Cut the brats on the bias into ½ inch slices. Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium low heat. Spray the pan with cooking spray and add the brat slices. Cook the brat slices on the first side until they are brown and a little crisp (about 3 minutes). Spray the top of the brats before you turn them so that the oiled side will be down. Cook the second side it is also a little crisp. Remove from the pan and keep warm until ready to serve.
To serve, put the sauerkraut on the bottom and top with the crispy brat slices. Garnish the potatoes with a dollop of tofu tahini garlic sauce or tofu sour cream.
If you make this earlier in the day (or your husband is running late as mine was) you can hold everything in a 200 degree oven until you are ready to serve. If you need to do this, I would suggest that you add the bratwurst to the sauerkraut so that it stays more moist. The presentation won't be as pretty but the texture of the brat will be better.
Nutritional Information:
Amount Per Serving
Calories - 519.81
Calories From Fat (19%) - 100.91
Total Fat - 11.46g
Saturated Fat - 1.59g
Cholesterol - 0mg
Sodium - 1471.34mg
Potassium - 1682.41mg
Total Carbohydrates - 65.64g
Fiber - 15.28g
Sugar - 8.79g
Protein - 38.38g
The sodium in the statistics above is overstated. I could only find numbers for drained low sodium sauerkraut. I feel certain by soaking and draining the sauerkraut the majority of the sodium is rinsed away.
Comments:
We enjoyed this meal tonight. It was very filling and satisfying on a stormy night as tropical storm/depression (whatever it is now) Danny is coming up the east coast.
Update:
I have changed my mind on the brats after breakfast this morning. I would recommend stirring the crisped brats into the sauerkraut so that they are more moist. After having our brats simmered this morning I now think simmered is definitely the way to go.
I think we're on the same wavelength, when I saw your beer brats recipe today, I started daydreaming about making them and serving with sauerkraut w/ caraway...I guess it's a natural pairing. My husband doesn't like sauerkraut either (v. strange as far as I'm concerned). Anyway, if I get around to making this tomorrow...I'll let you know how it turned out.
ReplyDeleteRose,
ReplyDeleteIt does seem that we are on the same wavelength since I have done that a few times with your recipes too. Very strange that your husband isn't a sauerkraut fan either. Try the rinse and soak method, it turned my hubby around and now he likes it.
Alicia
yum! what a great way to use your home-made dogs. i have really been wanting to make my own spicy seitan dish.
ReplyDeleteveggievixen,
ReplyDeleteAfter our breakfast this morning I updated this recipe. Both my husband and I now think the brats are better simmered.
You should make your own seitan sausage, it is ridiculously easy and so much cheaper than buying field roast sausages.
Alicia