BRAISED RED CABBAGE, APPLES, AND SAUSAGE

If you wonder if a family is of German heritage, just look in their refrigerator for the cup of bacon fat. When these families have fried some bacon, they pour the hot fat into a cup, let it come to room temperature, and put it in the refrigerator. Used for frying hash browns or making gravy for biscuits, rendered bacon fat adds a rich, smoky taste, as in this cold weather one dish meal.

Serves 4 to 6

4 Tablespoons rendered bacon fat
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 small yellow onion, chopped
4 cups shredded red cabbage
2 tart red apples, such as Jonathan, cored and sliced thin but not peeled
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 to 1 1/2 pounds German or Polish style smoked sausage links, or bratwursts
1 pound new potatoes
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
1 cup beer

Melt the bacon fat in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar and cook, stirring often, until the sugar browns, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low, add the onion, and sauté it until it is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the cabbage, apples, vinegar, and caraway seeds, and stir to blend.

Place the sausage links and the potatoes on top of the cabbage mixture. Season with salt and pepper and pour the beer over all. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasonings, and serve hot.

Prairie Home Cooking

Olga