To eat Sauerkraut is a hit or miss for people. Some people love it, some don’t! The Dutch know Zuurkool (Sauerkraut) for a long time. Here you can find how my mom and me, now make a delicious Zuurkool Schotel!
Source
Although “sauerkraut” is a German word, the dish did not originate in Germany (“sour Cabbage”). Some say it originated in China, some claim that it was brought to Europe by the Mongol Emperor Genghis Khan (which would have been in the late 12th century). The Europeans improved upon the original Chinese recipe by fermenting it with salt instead of rice wine.
It took root mostly in Central and Eastern European cuisines, but also in other countries including the Netherlands, where it is known as zuurkool, and France, where the name became choucroute.
Growing up with zuurkool.
I remember, my mom buying “zuurkool” at a farm. The farmer scooped “zuurkool” from a huge barrel into a plastic bag. The smell was awful! It was so strong, that I felt actually nauseous. He left some air in the bag and tightened it.
At home, my mom rinsed the “zuurkool” before boiling. Then after a few minutes of cooking the “zuurkool”, she took the pot off the stove and rinsed the “zuurkool” again. That’s how strong and sour this cabbage was! Fresh from the farm.
There were many ways my mom would make “zuurkool-schotel” (Sauerkraut Dish out of the oven). She would mix mashed potatoes with the “zuurkool”, add pieces of bacon and a sausage. Or layer the mashed potatoes with the “zuurkool” on top, top it off with a generous layer of grated cheese. Baked apples and something called “balkenbrij” and “appelstroop”, which is more like a syrup, than apple butter, were often added as side dishes. A real winter dish for those cold, cold winter nights.
Zuurkool in the USA
Taste buds must be changing over time. I didn’t like “zuurkool” at all when I was little, but we’re eating it almost once a month. It is high in dietary fiber and high in Vitamin C. I’m surprised that our oldest daughter, J, LOVES “zuurkool”. When the other kids smell it, they dive under the table….and hide for a long, long time!
In the meantime, I’m trying to figure out, how to make something delicious, so they would like it too…at some point.
So….where to buy “zuurkool” in the US?
When I crossed the border back home in the Netherlands, I got my groceries at Aldi or an other German grocery store. It seemed that their products were less expensive than the Dutch ones. Produce was not only cheaper but locally grown or organic as well.
I was surprised to see Aldi stores in the United States, but it never occurred to me to go inside and check them out. Please, don’t ask me why, but now I regret, that I haven’t been buying groceries there earlier. Some people were telling me, that Aldi didn’t have a good reputation in the olden days, but it has gotten so much better!
There, I found my “zuurkool”…in a glass jar, that is! I didn’t have to rinse the “zuurkool”.
Here is a recipe I made several times already with German Sauerkraut and mashed potatoes. All ingredients I used in this recipe, I got from Aldi. There are lots of varieties possible! Enjoy!!
“Zuurkool” out of the oven
This is one of my favorite winter oven dishes. I’m happy that Swiftkitty is sharing the joy for this dish as well. Use baked apples as a side dish with this. Lots of vitamin C for those cold winter days!
Ingredients
- 6 potatoes, big
- 24 oz "Zuurkool"/ Sauerkraut (see link below) jar
- 1 vegetable bouillon cube (Knorr) see link below
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1/2 cup milk or cream
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup grated cheese, any kind
- 1 cup bread crumbs
- 4 apples
Instructions
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Peel and cut the potatoes. Boil in water with vegetable bouillon until soft enough to make mashed potatoes.
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Mash the potatoes with the milk or cream and butter until it is the right mashed potato consistency you like.
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Boil the “zuurkool” in water with the sugar. Strain after 10 minutes boiling.
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Grease a 9×13 glass oven dish. First scoop the mashed potatoes in the baking dish and then the “zuurkool”.
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Sprinkle the grated cheese and bread crumbs on top. Put the dish in the preheated oven for 20 minutes on 400 F.
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Peel and cut apples into slices. Bake the slices in butter until they’re golden brown. Serve warm with the “zuurkool” dish out of the oven!
Recipe Notes
There are many different ways to spice this dish up. Most members of our little family are vegetarian. We added veggie bacon and sausages to this dish. Also I added pine apple rings or pieces on top. Sprinkle cheese and bread crumbs over it. Pop the oven dish in the oven for about 20 minutes.
Hello everyone,
Welcome to my Crafty Dutch Girl blog! Grab a cup of “koffie” and browse through fun blog posts about our Dutch family expat life in the USA, Dutch history, Dutch recipes, Dutch things to do in the USA and all kinds of crafts and activities. Don’t forget to connect with me for new ideas! “Groetjes en tot ziens”.