Creamy Sauerkraut Gratin With Duck Confit Food

CREAMY SAUERKRAUT GRATIN WITH DUCK CONFIT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
• Butter baking dish and coat with bread crumbs. Chill until ready to use.
• Cook onion with bay leaf and juniper berries in butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add sauerkraut and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
• Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from duck legs, reserving skin and discarding bones. Tear meat into 1-inch pieces and stir into sauerkraut. Transfer to baking dish.
• Whisk together cream, milk, eggs, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then pour over sauerkraut. Bake until custard is set and edges are lightly browned, 45 to 50 minutes.
• Meanwhile, remove skin and bones from duck legs, reserving skin and discarding bones. Tear meat into 1-inch pieces and stir into sauerkraut. Transfer to baking dish. Whisk together cream, milk, eggs, nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, then pour over sauerkraut. Bake until custard is set and edges are lightly browned, 45 to 50 minutes. While custard bakes, thinly slice reserved skin, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook in a dry medium nonstick skillet over low heat, stirring to separate, until fat is rendered and skin is crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Serve gratin with crisp skin scattered on top.

SAUERKRAUT AU GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, dry mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Slowly add the milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Stir in 1 cup cheese and the sauerkraut.
• Transfer to a 1 1/2-quart casserole. Mix the remaining 1/2 cup cheese with the bread crumbs and sprinkle over the top. Bake in the center of the oven about 30 minutes or until hot, bubbly and the topping is lightly browned.

DAR'S SUPER SAVORY SAUERKRAUT POTATO BAKE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Whisk the flour, bouillon granules, water, and milk together in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil until thick, 1 to 2 minutes, whisking continuously. Remove from heat and stir the sour cream into the flour mixture; set aside to cool.
• Combine the onion, Cheddar cheese, sauerkraut, salt, pepper, and caraway seeds in a large mixing bowl. Stir the sour cream sauce and the melted butter into the sauerkraut mixture; fold the hash brown potatoes into the mixture. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Use a spatula to flatten into an even layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the potatoes are tender and the top is brown and bubbly, 60 to 70 minutes.

CREAMED SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute the onion in the butter over med-high heat until the onion is translucent.
• Reduce heat to low and add the caraway seeds.
• Stir in the flour until it is well combined and cook on low for 2 minutes.
• Add all remaining ingredients to the skillet and cook for about 5-7 minutes or until everything is heated through. Do not allow to boil.

ROASTED AND BRAISED DUCK WITH SAUERKRAUT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prick the duck all over with a fork, then sprinkle it with salt and pepper and place it in a large, deep, ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven. Roast the duck for about 1 1/2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure it is browning steadily. (If the duck is barely browning, increase the heat by 50 degrees; if it seems to be browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly.) When it is nicely browned and has rendered a great deal of fat, pour off all but a few tablespoons of the fat and transfer the pan to the top of the stove.
• Scatter the sauerkraut around the duck, then sprinkle it with paprika, moisten it with the wine, and tuck the bay leaves in. Turn the heat to low, and cover the pan. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then stir and put some of the sauerkraut on top of the duck.
• Cook another 15 minutes or so, until the duck is quite tender. Carve and serve.