Sauerkraut is good in soup, sandwiches and more

As far back as the third century B.C., sauerkraut had been eaten by the Chinese. Roving tribes of Tartars introduced fermented cabbage to Western Europe, in the areas now known as Germany and Northern France. Workers both on the Great Wall of China and on Captain Cook's ship were fed kraut to keep them from getting scurvy. Germans gave sauerkraut its name, “sour cabbage.” About the end of the 16th century it was found that fermenting cabbage with small amounts of salt was far better than using wine. This method is still used today.

Kraut continues to be second only to mustard as a hot dog topping. Over one billion servings of sauerkraut are consumed each year with 25 percent of all households buying sauerkraut (about 1.5 pounds at a time every 85 days).

Cabbage is 93 percent water, so one cup of kraut only has 32 calories. Sauerkraut is a good source of vitamins A, C, and B6, along with iron and potassium. If you're watching your salt intake, rinsing kraut can reduce the sodium significantly.

My mom always makes sauerkraut soup for Christmas. It's a delicious combination of sauerkraut, kielbasa, barley, and some background ingredients. While good on the day of making up the batch, it was best served on the second day, after a period of refrigeration. This allows the flavors to mingle in ways you wouldn't otherwise get. Mom's recipe is actually very easy to make up. Dump it all in a pot, heat and serve. The batch I made up in the picture was made in a more traditional way, in that I browned the mushrooms well in butter before adding a mix of carrots, celery, and onions. I browned those as well before adding the remaining ingredients. Instead of the kielbasa, I had some leftover corned beef, which I cut carefully into small pieces and then stirred in. Heresy, you say? After all the corned beef I ate this season I was glad to try something a little different, but it still tasted close enough to the traditional recipe as to be a good substitution.

I preferred cooking the mushrooms this way, as I feel the canned slices are more like little mushroom hockey pucks that really don't add much to the meal, other than some color. By browning them first I helped unlock the level of umami flavor the canned ones don't have. Sure, I could drain the canned ones then fry away. Honestly, I've not tried that. Instead I took a handful of whole button mushrooms, carefully washed them, then sliced as desired. I don't have a problem washing fresh mushroom as they really don't absorb much water. I never felt comfortable just brushing off any black flecks the mushrooms invariably have on them.

SAUERKRAUT SOUP

• 4 quarts water
• 1 pint sauerkraut
• 1 pint stewed tomatoes
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon dried hot pepper
• Dash black pepper
• Dash paprika
• Salt to taste
• 1 small can mushrooms
• 1 Polish or German sausage cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup barley

Mix all together. Cook at a simmer for at least 2 hours.

SAUERKRAUT SALAD

• 1 can (14.5-ounce) sauerkraut, drained
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup grated celery
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 ounces pimientos, drained then diced
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix sauerkraut, carrots, celery, pepper, onion, and pimientos. In a small bowl, combine sugar and oil. Pour over vegetables and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours.

REUBEN SANDWICH

• 8 slices rye bread
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup Thousand Island dressing
• 1/4 pound corned beef, thinly sliced
• 1 cup sauerkraut, well drained
• 1/2 pound Swiss cheese, shredded

On a large work surface, lay out the bread slices. Spread one side of each slice evenly with butter. Turn the slices over and spread the other side evenly with the dressing. Lay the sliced corned beef on the dressing side of 4 of the bread slices, tucking in any overhang. Spread the kraut evenly atop the corned beef, then distribute the cheese evenly over the kraut. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side out, and press down firmly to compact the sandwiches. Heat a large nonstick frying pan until hot. Using a spatula, transfer the sandwiches to the hot pan. Cook, pressing down gently on each sandwich 3 or 4 times, until golden of the first side. Carefully turn over the sandwiches and cook, pressing 3 or 4 times, until the second side is golden and the cheese has melted. Turn over one more time and cook 2 to 3 minutes more. Serve hot.

CHILI

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 can (28-ounce) crushed tomatoes
• 1 can (14.5-ounce) sauerkraut, drained
• 1 can (15-ounce) pinto beans
• 1 can (14-ounce) low-sodium beef broth
• 3 to 4 tablespoons chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Preheat oil in 3-quart saucepan. Brown meat, onions, and garlic. Drain. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, partially covered, for 25 to 30 minutes.