KIM BOYCE RECIPES

Steps:

• Simmer the sauerkraut for 10 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet, soften the onions in the butter, browning lightly. Add the sauerkraut, wine, stock, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Bring to boil, turn down, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, simmer the bratwurst in water to cover for 20 minutes.
• Add the potatoes to the sauerkraut in the skillet and cook, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender.
• While the potatoes are cooking, drain the bratwurst and brown lightly on all sides under a hot broiler.
• To serve, put the sauerkraut and potatoes on a heated platter and arrange the bratwurst over the top.

Steps:

• Cut 1 green pepper into 1-inch squares. Smash and peel 4 of the garlic cloves. Put the green pepper and garlic into a large pot with the beans, ham hock, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt. Add 2 quarts water and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and simmer until the beans are tender, an hour or more.
• Meanwhile, make a sofrito. Cut the remaining ½ green pepper into ¼-inch dice. Peel and finely chop the remaining garlic. Heat the olive oil in a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the green pepper and onion and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, jalapeño (leave out the seeds if you don’t want it too spicy), oregano, cumin, black pepper and 2 teaspoons salt and stir for another minute. Pour in the vinegar and scrape any browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. This is your sofrito.
• When the beans are cooked, discard the bay leaf. Remove and set aside the ham hock and let it cool. Transfer 1 cup of beans to small bowl, mash them into a paste with the back of a fork and return to the pot. Add the sofrito, then the sugar. Pull the meat from the ham hock, leaving behind any white sinew or gristle. Chop the ham into ½-inch pieces and return it to the bean pot.
• Stir the beans well and bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes or so, skimming any foam from the top. Taste for salt and serve with white rice.