Balcan Cuisine: Sauerkraut With Bacon

Sauerkraut With Bacon

Sauerkraut With Bacon

This recipe for Serbian sauerkraut with bacon and rice is known as kiseli kupus sa pirinčem or podvarak and is from Vlada Vladic ,who won the 2010 Food Network Thanksgiving Family Face-Off. Vlada says her recipe is great for family gatherings, economical to make, and even better the next day.

Here is another recipe from Vladic, Serbian Potato-Stuffed Peppers (Paprike Punjene Krompirom). While the traditional Serbian recipe doesn't include tuna, Vlada adds it to incorporate protein into the dish, making it more nutritious for her young family. This meatless dish is perfect for fasting times like Advent and the Great Lent.

Total: 2 hrs 20 mins
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 2 hrs
Yield: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 pound bacon (cut into 1/2-inch pieces)
1 cup olive oil
1 medium onion (chopped)
8 to 10 cloves garlic
5 bay leaves
3/4 teaspoon sweet or hot Hungarian paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup long-grain rice (rinsed)
1/2 head fresh cabbage (shredded)
1 (6-pound) can sauerkraut (rinsed and drained)
5 cups chicken broth

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
In a large Dutch oven, fry the bacon until golden brown.
Add the oil and onion and cook for about 10 minutes or until onions are tender.
Add the garlic, bay leaves, paprika, pepper, and rice and let the mixture simmer for another 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Mix in the shredded cabbage and cook 5 minutes.
Add the sauerkraut and 3 cups of the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, mixing often.
Add another 1 cup chicken broth and, after mixing well, place in the oven and bake, covered, 1 1/2 hours, periodically adding remaining cup of chicken broth to keep sauerkraut moist while baking.
Remove bay leaves and discard before serving.