Recipe: choucroute garnie with confit potatoes and mustard

The slow cooker is nowhere near as popular here as it is in its country of origin, America. There, ever since the Crock-Pot came onto the market in 1979, it has been impossible to imagine the kitchen without it (for some people, slow cooking is even a way of life). Still, we are seeing the appliance more and more often. It is hardly surprising, because you can use it to make incredibly delicious dishes with very little effort. For his book Masterclass – Slow Cooker , Bas Robben delved into the world of this appliance and collected 50 recipes that prove everyone should have a slow cooker at home. From breakfast recipes and soupy stews to (new) classics. An added advantage: they are often incredibly easy to make!

Because summer is still taking its time, today we are sharing a true French winter classic. Choucroute garnie is a sauerkraut dish from Alsace. As is the case with any classic, there are thousands of versions of this recipe. It is a true family dish, often passed down from generation to generation. This recipe from Bas, made in the slow cooker, is incredibly delicious and perfect to make this weekend. Just check the weather forecast first..

How to make choucroute garnie

• Cut the potatoes into 3 cm pieces, making sure you have nice, large cut surfaces.
• Heat the lard in a wide sauté pan and fry the bacon slices on both sides until golden brown. Remove them from the pan with tongs and set them aside on a plate.
• Then place the potatoes in the pan (careful: the fat is hot!) and fry them until golden brown.
• Remove the dry outer layers from the onions and halve them lengthwise. Remove the potatoes from the pan and place the onions in it. Fry these until golden brown as well.
• Empty the entire pan, including the fat and onions, into the slow cooker. Add the potatoes as well and toss everything together briefly. Do not rinse the sauerkraut; place it directly on top of the potatoes in an even layer.
• Sprinkle with the juniper berries and a generous twist of black pepper.
• Insert the bay leaves between the ingredients.
• Place the fried bacon, smoked sausage and Kasseler on top. Set the slow cooker to high and let the sauerkraut stew for 6 hours, until tender.
• Serve the choucroute garnie with mustard.