madbaker | Krauts and Beans

This week's Resolution Recipe: Sauerkraut and Bean Soup.

8 oz pink beans, soaked for a few hours (I used King City pinks)
2 Tbsp oil or lard
1/2 boneless pork butt, diced (I used some house-made sausages: a dried pork that is kind of blah, and an 'nduja that is a bit musty-tasting. [Too high a proportion of organ meat.] Both make good stew ingredients though.)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped (Ha! I used... more.)
1 onion, peeled and chopped
2 quarts stock
2 tsp paprika
3 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained (I used house-made)
salt and pepper
creme fraiche and chopped green onions for garnish

In a soup pot, heat the oil and add the pork. Add the garlic and onion, sauteing until the onion is tender. Drain the beans and add to the pot with the stock and paprika. Cover and simmer for one hour, until the beans are tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove about 3/4 of the beans to a blender. Puree with some of the stock. Return to the pot, adding the sauerkraut. Simmer, covered, for 1 hour until the kraut is tender. Add salt and pepper. Serve in bowls with the garnish.

What worked: It was quite tasty and a good meal for a cold evening. The sauerkraut added some piquancy to the beans.

What didn't: The first time I made this, I forgot to turn the heat down after I added the sauerkraut - it stuck and burned a bit. Not enough to taste burned, fortunately, but it was too reduced.

Will I make it again? Certainly. At some point I'll have to make more sauerkraut, but one of the reasons I'm making these sorts of things is to use up the house-made stuff, which is getting a bit soft.