Kapusta Z Grzybami (Polish Sauerkraut with Mushrooms)
If you’ve ever had sauerkraut you’ll know it’s a bit of an acquired taste, but in some European counties, like Poland, it often makes an appearance as a side dish.
Well, in this recipe, sauerkraut is a side dish no longer, but rather takes more of a center stage role in this sauerkraut and mushroom stew. It’s tangy with a delicious umami flavor thanks to the mushroom and goes down amazingly with a slice or two of rye bread. It’s often served on Christmas Eve in Poland, along with other festive dishes.
If you’d prefer a milder taste, you can drain and rinse the juices from the sauerkraut and add more of it in later in the cooking process if you think it needs it.
Enjoy!
Kapusta Z Grzybami (Polish Sauerkraut with Mushrooms)
Ingredients
- 50 g dried mushrooms 2 handfuls of mushrooms
- 800 g sauerkraut
- 1 carrot
- 1 large onion
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/2 tsp ground pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 allspice grains
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Rinse the mushrooms in cool water and place them in a pot. Pour 2 cups of water over them and let them soak overnight or for a few hours.
- Drain the water from soaking the mushrooms, add 2 cups of fresh water, and salt. Cook for about 20-30 minutes or until soft. Strain, keeping the broth and mushrooms separate. Cut the mushrooms into smaller pieces.
- Squeeze and chop the cabbage, placing it in a pot. Pour the strained mushroom broth over it. Add 2 additional glasses of water, the bay leaves and allspice grains. Cook covered until soft for about 40-45 minutes.
- Peel the carrot, wash it, and grate it on a large grater. Add to the boiling cabbage 10 minutes before the end of cooking.
- Peel and chop the onion into small cubes. Fry in a pan with 2 tablespoons of oil.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add the flour, and heat, stirring until a light brown roux is formed.
- Add the onion, roux, and mushrooms to the cooked cabbage. Mix and boil thoroughly. Season with salt (if necessary) and ground pepper.
- Remove from heat. If serving the cabbage in the following days, it's best to close it in jars while still hot. Once cooled, place it in the fridge upside down.