June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Sauerkraut and Pork (Szekel

Title:
June Meyer's Authentic Hungarian Sauerkraut and Pork (Szekel

Yield:
4 Servings

Categories:
Hungary,
Pork,
Vegetables




Ingredients:





     2 lb Pork cubed


 1 1/2 lb Sauerkraut,


          -rinse and drained


     2    White onions, chopped


     2 tb Lard or oil


          -(if meat is very lean)


     2 tb Hungarian sweet paprika


          -(no generic please)


     1 lg Can of crushed tomato (or


          -fresh tomatos peeled


          -and crushed)


     1 tb Sugar


     2    Bay leaves


     1 c  Water


   1/2 pt Sour cream


          -(no yogurt please)


          Salt and pepper to taste






 Long ago, people had to lay away food to see them through the winter. Every


 house in the "old country" had a root cellar in which they stored their


 winter supply of onions, apples, squash, potatos, carrots, parsley roots


 and cabbage heads. In the fall you could smell the shredded cabbage


 fermenting in several large 30 gallon stoneware containers. I remember my


 father and mother bending over a wooden board that was made to shred


 cabbage heads. After it was shredded it was packed in layers with salt in


 large stoneware containers. It was hard work, but that sauerkraut was eaten


 with gusto and left you with a feeling of well being.


 


 Sauerkraut was not only cheap and plentiful, but it was full of vitamins


 that warded off illness. It was a mainstay of Austrian-Hungarian winter


 cuisine.


 


 This dish is an unusual mingling of sauerkraut, tomato, pork, onion and


 sour cream along with that ever present Hungarian sweet paprika. Regards,


 June Meyer.


 


 Brown the meat and onion (in lard or oil if needed) in a pot with lid. Add


 the paprika to the meat and onion mix, stir to mix in (do not burn). Put in


 the drained sauerkraut, crushed tomatos, bay leaves and sugar. Mix. Cover


 pot.


 


 Cook slowly for about one hour, or until meat is tender. Add the sour cream


 and stir it in. The aroma will make your mouthwater.


 


 Serve in soup plates, with good crusty bread, a meal fit for the Kaiser.


 This serves 4 and freezes well.


 


       If you try one of my recipes please tell me what you think.


                   E-Mail me at: june4@interaccess.com


 


 WALT


 Posted to EAT-L Digest 25 November 96


 


 Date:    Tue, 26 Nov 1996 22:50:04 -0500


 


 From:    Walt Gray