Shortcut Choucroute

There's about to be an onslaught of new recipes.  I'm cleaning out my cookbooks (7 cookbooks will be leaving my house in the next couple of weeks).  Thus, in the next couple of weeks I need to copy down the handful of recipes from each cookbook that I actually make.

First up, a hearty, winter, one-pot meal. This is not a meal I typically make because of the massive amount of meat it calls for.  However, for serving a crowd of meat eaters easily, this one is great.

This serves 8 - 10, depending on how much meat people eat.  To make it serve more, just add more potatoes.

Shortcut Choucroute
adapted from Perfect One-Dish Dinners by Pam Anderson

2 T olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
4 crisp, green apples, cored and chopped
4 thin slices prosciutto
10 whole cloves
4 bay leaves
2 lbs sauerkraut, drained
1 - 2 c dry white wine (If using less wine, increase chicken stock)
1 qt chicken stock
1 lb bratwurst, cut diagonally into 8 pieces
2 lbs smoked pork chops or ham (I used ham), cut into 8 pieces
1 lb kielbasa, cut into 8 pieces
8 - 12 small red (new) potatoes, halved

Heat oil in a large heavy roasting pan set over two burners on medium high heat.  Add onions, apples, and prosciutto and cook until tender and golden brown 5 - 10 minutes (If you don't want your roasting pan on the burners, do this in a large skillet).  Add cloves, bay leaves, and sauerkraut, and cook for a few minutes to blend flavors and heat sauerkraut.  Add wine, chicken broth (if doing this in a skillet first, bring to a boil at this point, then transfer to a roasting pan and add meat), and meat.  Bring to a boil, cover tightly with foil, and transfer to a preheated 350 degrees oven.  Bake for 45 minutes.  Uncover carefully, add potatoes, and cook an additional 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Serve.