CREAMED SAUERKRAUT AND PEPPERS
Sauerkraut combined with Mancini Sweet Red Roasted Peppers, Mancini Fried Peppers with Onion, garlic, fennel and Daiya Mozzarella Veggie Shreds, then cooked till creamy! A simple side dish vegetable for roasted root veggies. Can also be served over mashed or baked potatoes, with veggie sausage, as a cheese topper for pizza, as the cheese filler in a grilled sandwich, spooned over potato or cabbage pierogi, or even in a grilled flatbread roll up!
Makes 5-3/4 cups
32 oz. jar sauerkraut (I used SnowFloss brand), including liquid
12 oz. jar Mancini Sweet Red Roasted Peppers including liquid – diced
1/2, 12 oz. jar Mancini Fried Peppers with Onion
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
2 t. ground fennel seed
2 t. sugar
8 oz. pkg. Daiya Veggie Mozzarella Shreds – at room temperature
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
smoked paprika for garnish
Combine sauerkraut, both jarred peppers, garlic powder, onion powder, ground fennel seed and sugar in large saucepan. Stir to disperse peppers, then cook over medium heat, uncovered, till it reaches a boil. Reduce heat and cook 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add Daiya cheese shreds. Stir till melted and creamy throughout. Cook 15 minutes on low heat, stirring as needed.
Salt and pepper to taste, transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with paprika.
Notes: If you like sauerkraut, you’ll love this creamy version
Some people like a strong vinegar taste to their sauerkraut and others don’t. If you want a more subtle vinegar taste, then drain in colander over a bowl. Measure the liquid in the bowl, then place sauerkraut in saucepan. Replace the same amount of sauerkraut liquid with water – adding to saucepan. Then dump the sauerkraut liquid.
Although caraway goes well with sauerkraut, I used fennel instead – with excellent results.
Serving suggestion: I like to bake a bunch of yams to keep in refrigerator and use as needed. Bake yams in preheated 400 degree oven for 1 hour, or till fork-tender. Refrigerate. When ready to use, remove from refrigerator, peel each yam, keeping yam whole. Slice in half from end to end.
Heat a little oil in skillet, over medium heat, till hot. Place each yam half, flat side down and top with a couple tablespoons of Creamed Sauerkraut And Peppers. Don’t turn the yams, simply cook till brown and glazed on bottom, covering with lid a couple minutes to be sure to heat throughout.
Plate, sprinkle with smoked paprika, garnish with fresh basil leaf and serve.
This makes a delicious main dish, suitable for restaurant fine dining!
Years ago when managing a deli, an employee suggested I make a pizza with sauerkraut: dough, tomato sauce, cheese and toppings. She said I wouldn’t believe how good it is. Tried it, loved it, so why not now, that I don’t eat cheese, bring back the sauerkraut element via the vegan cheese sauce and peppers. Did it, liked it on flatbread, so know I’ll like it on pizza dough.
It’s tough to find cabbage pierogi in the market these days – everything is potato and cheese. Well, I found a market that sells potato and onion pierogi. So why not get the best of both worlds, boiled and pan-fried potato pierogi sauced with you guessed it, creamed sauerkraut cheese sauce. All vegan – all delicious!
This is a two way grilled sandwich that is out of the park. Spread 1 slice potato bread with Just Mayo chipotle flavor. Spread 2nd slice with prepared yellow mustard.
Top mustard side with the sauerkraut cheese sauce. Top the Just Mayo side with Daiya Mozzarella cheese shreds.
Oil skillet, medium heat, fry on both sides till browned. Cut and serve. The Daiya cheese will not melt quickly nor totally, which is what we want since the sauerkraut cheese is already melted. Perfect for a crab melt texture.
This next one is done the same way, except when one side is browned, flip the sandwich over, press down with spatula, turn heat off and cover tightly. Wait till all cheese melts. Remove cover, turn heat back on, flip the soft side down on skillet, fry till crisp. Cut and serve. So the steam helps melt the cheese, but when the bread gets a little soggy, we crisp it back up. Again, perfect!
