The signature dish of Alsatian cuisine, Choucroute is a sensational vehicle for one of the most important culinary contributions the region has to offer--Charcuterie. Charcuterie is elevated to an art form in Alsace, where meat, mostly pork, is preserved in a variety of ways: as smoked parts of the pig (usually the belly); as sausages of widely varying types; and terrines, including mousse and head cheese.

In Choucroute, pieces of preserved pork are usually combined with one piece of freshly-cooked pork (I've usually used pork loin and even pork belly, but there is no limit--I know a couple of Alsaciennes who only use pig's foot and shank--a shank is in the photo--which is delicious), potatoes, and sometimes apples. The dish itself presents a kaleidoscope of textures, especially among the meats--some of which are large-grind sausages while some have the texture of a wiener. I prefer the sauerkraut to remain fairly crisp after cooking, but many recipes call for the fresh pork to be braised in the sauerkraut. This does yield tasty kraut, but it interrupts the textural contrast because the kraut becomes soft as cooked beans. I have solved this in many different ways, but one need not take this to such an extreme--it's perfectly good with soft kraut!

Here's my recipe:

Choucroute Garnie

Turn on the oven to 350º.

1. Using several changes of cold water, rinse 4 lbs. of sauerkraut in a large bowl. Drain and then squeeze it out well.
2. Cut enough yellow onions (usually 2 medium ones) into ¼-inch dice so that you have, more or less, 2 cups. Mince three or four cloves of garlic (so that you have at least 1 tablespoon). Grind 4 pieces of thick-cut bacon in a food processor for 8-10 seconds (or chop them finely with a knife). Transfer bacon to a large dutch oven (6-quarts or bigger) over medium-high heat and cook until fat is rendered and bacon is crisp (about 6 minutes). Add onions and ½ teaspoon of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and light brown around the edges (about 8 minutes). Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds or until fragrant (no longer than 1 minute). Add ¾ of the sauerkraut and cook, stirring frequently, until it wilts and is steaming (about 10 minutes).
3. Stir in 2½ cups of dry Riesling, ½ cup of water, 2 bay leaves, 12 juniper berries, 16 coriander seeds, a pinch of ground cloves, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil.
4. Place 1½ lbs. of fresh pork loin or 2 lbs. of fresh pork belly into the sauerkraut, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. If using a pork loin, cook until it registers 140°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 45 minutes. If using pork belly, cover with sauerkraut, reduce oven heat to 300°F and cook for 2 hours.
5. While the pork and sauerkraut is in the oven, prepare the sausages: Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil when hot, and brown 6 fresh pork sausages (bratwurst or knockwurst) on all sides, about 8 minutes (but do not cook them all the way through). Remove to a plate, tent with aluminum foil. Brown three smoked sausages (kielbasa is excellent) and three wieners or frankfurters (something akin to, but aspiring to be more than, a hot dog) in the same skillet, browning on all sides, also for about 8 minutes. Transfer to another plate and set aside.
6. Meanwhile, prepare 4 pounds of medium red potatoes by washing them and bringing them to a boil in a large pot with ¾ teaspoon of salt and sufficient water to cover by an inch. When they reach a boil, reduce heat and simmer until a knife can penetrate the center of the potato with little to no resistance (about 20 minutes). Drain the potatoes, leave in pot, covered, off heat.
7. When the pork and sauerkraut has about 15 minutes of cooking remaining, remove it from the oven, stir in the last pound of sauerkraut and nestle the fresh pork sausages in to finish cooking. 10 minutes after this, bury the remaining sausages in the sauerkraut as well.
8. When the pork has finished cooking, remove from the oven and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Serving: Pile sauerkraut onto a large serving platter or a wide, shallow pasta serving bowl. Arrange the potatoes around the edge of the sauerkraut and arrange the sausages on top, leaving a bare mound of kraut in the center. Slice the pork loin (or pork belly) and fan it across the center of the sauerkraut. Serve at the table with whole-grain mustard as an accompaniment.

Wine Choices
I would really stick with Riesling here, obviously it would be better if it were from Alsace. Not a $12 one, though. Seek something with more muscularity along with its verve. There is a lot in this meal, and it's not exactly lightweight, so a stronger Riesling is more likely to go well.

Popularity: 7% [?]

A Regional Classic
One of the quintessential Alsatian dishes, Baeckeoffe is a hearty pot roast-ish kind of dish that possesses great flavor, and there is a quality of angelic lightness about it that defies description.... Still, this is full-throated, heavy fare. It is more stylized in its construction than is pot roast (which has no specific assembly), as the meat is layered with potatoes and vegetables, marinated in a white wine concoction, that is sealed in a large terrine with a flour paste and cooked for several hours.

Origin of the Name
The word "Baeckeoffe" is from the Alsacien for "bakers oven." One traditional story tells us that Baeckeoffe was assembled by the family matriarch in the morning, dropped off at the bakery by her husband on his way to work, cooked in the still-hot-but-no-longer-on stone ovens, and picked up by her husband, along with a loaf of bread, on his way home.

Accompaniments
This warm and satisfying dish is best served with a green salad and some crusty bread to mop up all that delicious juice.

Baeckeoffe

Serves 6

Meats
1 lb. boneless pork shoulder
1 lb. boneless lamb shoulder
1 lb. boneless beef chuck roast
1 (or 2) pig's foot, split lengthwise (optional but incredibly flavorful)

Marinade
½ celery root, diced
1 carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic
6 whole cloves or whole allspice berries
4 small bay leaves
1 Tbsp. juniper berries
2 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
½ tsp. Herbes de Provence
1 bottle dry white wine (preferably Alsace Riesling or something with similarly high acidity)

For the Casserole
Sheets of back fat (optional)
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped, stems reserved
½ celery root, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 large leek, white and light green parts sliced
2 onions, diced
6 medium cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 small bay leaves
3-4 lbs. waxy potatoes, peeled and sliced at least ¼" thick. (Yukon Gold work well)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
1. Combine the four meats with the marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate overnight or for up to 72 hours. Strain the meat and vegetables from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Discard the vegetables.

2. With butter, lightly grease the bottom and sides of a large ovenproof casserole with lid. Place the pig's feet (or fat back--I've found it's better to use one or the other rather than both) in the bottom and sprinkle with 1 Tbsp of parsley. Cover with half of the potatoes, then season lightly with salt and pepper and another 1 Tbsp of parsley. Layer successively with meat and vegetables, lightly seasoning with salt and pepper and adding 1 Tbsp of parsley to each layer as you go. Finish with the other half of the potatoes. Pour the reserved marinade in--it should come most of the way up (but not cover) the meat and vegetables. Add some water (or more wine) if necessary. Lightly season the final layer of potatoes, and strew the parsley stems over the top.

3. Seal the lid onto the casserole with a paste made from 4½ oz. flour, 5 Tbsp water, and a Tbsp of oil. Alternatively, use a damp cheesecloth or aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 300°F and continue baking for another 3-4 hours. If paste begins to blacken, cover it with foil.

4. When it is done, remove from oven and allow it to rest fifteen minutes. Open, remove parsley stalks and sprinkle with some fresh parsley. Serve it directly at the table. The pig's feet have extraordinary flavor, but are probably best reserved for the more adventurous diners.

Despite using Riesling in the marinade, I generally prefer Pinot Gris with Baeckeoffe.

Popularity: 5% [?]

Oh do I love a good onion tart! And I'm not the only one: it is so wonderfully satisfying that when a restaurant in Alsace (or Paris) puts a sandwich board out on the sidewalk with a sign that reads, "Onion Tart 4:00", you had better be there before 4 or you're not getting any.

This is one of the simplest dishes in many ways, depending on how you feel about making a crust. Making your own crust is a gratifying experience, and it is not difficult--especially if you have a food processor. It only takes five minutes of work time and two hours to chill.

I have made many, many of these and tried them out on my friends and I tweaked the recipe here and there to get what I wanted. With an ingredients list this short, you'll probably find yourself tweaking this to your own preferences. Here is my recipe:

1. Make a pâté brisée. The one from Mastering the Art of French Cooking is great: 10 oz. (2 cups) All-Purpose flour; 1 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp sugar; 1½ sticks of cold, unsalted butter; 4 Tbsp chilled shortening; scant ½-cup of ice water, plus a little extra as needed. Use a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Put flour, salt, and sugar into the work bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into quarters lengthwise and then in to ½-inch pieces. Cut shortening into similar sized pieces and put both in with the flour mixture. Pulse the processor four or five times until it looks like a coarse meal. Turn the processor on and dump the entire ½-cup of ice water in. Immediately turn processor off and then pulse it (to avoid over-mixing). The mixture should begin to ball up on the blades. If not, dribble some tiny amounts of extra ice water and continue to pulse until the dough gathers into one or two balls on the blades. Remove from processor and put on a floured surface. Smear small sections of the dough across the surface with the heel of your hand to complete the mixing. Press dough into a disc about an inch thick and refrigerate it for at least two hours, or overnight.

2. Prepare the Onions. Slice 1½-2 lbs of yellow onions crosswise. Heat a tablespoon of vegetable oil or lard in a large skillet or Dutch Oven over medium heat. Two Methods Version 1: Add onions when oil is shimmering but not smoking. Add ½-tsp of salt. Stirring frequently, cook onions until they are caramelized and soft, about 7 minutes. This makes a rich, hearty set of flavors. Version 2: Cook onions over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until softened but not at all browned or soft. This is somewhere between stewing and a vigorous sweating of the onions, and will provide greater textural contrast and brighter onion flavor. Continue: Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper and a few sweeps of nutmeg across a nutmeg grater. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add 1 Tbsp of all-purpose flour and cook for five minutes more, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow onions to cool for 10 minutes.

3. Pre-Bake the Tart Crust. Pre-heat over to 400°F. Roll out dough and put it in a buttered 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Butter a piece of parchment or aluminum foil and place it on top of the dough. Fill with pie weights (or dried beans) and bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove parchment and pie weights, prick dough with a fork and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until the crust looks drier.

4. Prepare the Custard, Assemble, and Bake. Meanwhile, whisk 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of cream, 3 eggs, plus salt and pepper to taste in a medium-sized bowl. When crust is finished with the pre-baking, stir onions into the cream and egg mixture and pour immediately into the crust. Sprinkle with matchsticks cut from two pieces of thick-cut bacon, if desired (because the bacon makes it heavier and obscures the onion flavors somewhat, I only do this when it is very cold outside--but there is something very warming about the flavor and texture bacon offers). Put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until the custard is set in the center.

5. At the Table. Slice and serve with roasted asparagus or steamed broccoli. If you caramelized the onions as in version 1, then open a bottle of Alsatian Pinot Gris or Auxerrois. If you cooked the onions more gently, then try a Pinot Blanc or Sylvaner instead.

Ingredients List

Pastry:
10 oz. (about 2 cups) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. sugar
12 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
4 Tbsp. chilled shortening
Scant ½-cup ice water, plus a small amount extra if necessary.

Filling:
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (preferably NOT from Tuscany)
2 lbs. yellow onions
salt, pepper, and nutmeg
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
3 eggs
salt and pepper
2 pieces thick-cut bacon, cut into matchsticks (optional)

Popularity: 4% [?]

Popularity: 3% [?]

The city of Münster is the cheese capital of Alsace, thanks to the eponymously named wheels of cheese crafted there. Münster, one of the great jewels of the cheese world,was created at an abbey in this this idyllic river valley more than 650 years ago. Münster is so important to Alsace that there is a Route des Fromages (just as there is a Route du Vin): a beautiful trip through pastures, forests and on into the Vosges.

Anecdotally, one can trace Münster back to the eleventh century, but the first written accounting of it is contained in a 1339 treaty between the Abbey of St. Gregory--the reputed point of origin for the cheese--and the city of Münster which had built up around the abbey over the previous 650 years.

The Character of Münster
I am a huge fan of Münster. It has a tang that is subtle and inspiringly soulful. The creamy texture softens its tartness, highlighting an ineffable elusiveness. But...it stinks. Literally. The red bacteria used to make Münster in combination with the washed rind process makes the cheese reek in a vivid fashion. It can be hard to convince cheese newbies to endure the aroma long enough to eat the stuff. The cheese imported to the U.S. is Münster-Gérômé, which is made specifically on the bald top of the Vosges near Münster. Occasionally one can find other options like Münster-Lisbeth, but since Münster doesn't hold up well for long periods in the distribution pipeline, the smaller production Münsters are typically imported only with a pre-planned destination. By the time the cheese hits the table in the U.S., it is difficult to know how fresh it is, and it can quickly become ammoniated, which is not ideal. If you see it, buy it and try it out right away. It'll stink up the place, but it's so worth it! Especially if you have a glass of...

Gewurztraminer and Münster
Münster is the classic companion for Gewurztraminer, and can often offers an entrée into that boldly characterful wine (for those who are shocked, or at least not immediately captured by Gewurztraminer’s rather slutty charms). I have heard some people say that Gewurztraminer can perform the same favor for Münster, but the cheese is a much smaller hurdle.

If you want red wine, Cru Beaujolais is a classic companion. I think mature Moulin-à-Vent is just perfect, but since that is something of a specialty, wines from the Cru of Morgon are excellent options.

Münster at the Table
There are several ways to consume Münster, the most basic and common being with bread. I also like to cut off the top rind (the rind is edible) and sprinkle cumin seeds on it (others prefer caraway). Leftover Münster is commonly mixed with fromage blanc, crème fraîche, garlic, onions, and herbs (I like chervil and flat-leaf parsley) to make a concoction called Bibalakas, which is traditionally served with fried or steamed potato wedges and field greens. Bibalakas makes for pretty hearty fare, but it is quite a feast!

Münster has almost nothing in common with the Wisconsin sandwich cheese we call Muenster--it is, and this is my opinion of course, infinitely better. (Though I do promote the use of Muenster on your sandwich--if you haven't tried it, you should! I particularly enjoy it with roast beef, and in a ham and cheese omelet.)

Popularity: 5% [?]