Recipes Shared at Pop-A-Cork  Saturday, August 27, 2011
                             Capital Theater

Sauerkraut Stuffing
Ingredients:
• 1/2 pound bacon, preferably thick cut, country-style, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1-1/2  cups finely chopped onion
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery, including leaves
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped carrots
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 2 teaspoons salt  (be conservative depending upon the salt content of  the              
•  sauerkraut)
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or beer
• 2 cups chopped tart apples (such as Granny Smith) **peeling is optional
• 8 cups stale or lightly toasted 1/2-inch rye bread cubes
• 1 pound fresh sauerkraut, rinsed and drained  (juice reserved)
• 3 eggs, beaten
• Pepper to taste
***If you wish not to use wine or beer, you could use apple juice and/or chicken stock

Preparation:

In a large skillet, fry the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. 
Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of the bacon grease and set the pan over moderate heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, thyme, caraway seeds,  and salt. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add the wine or beer and bring to a boil, scraping the pan to loosen and dissolve the browned bits. Add the apples, cover, and cook until the apples are tender. Remove from the heat and combine in a large bowl with the bread cubes and sauerkraut. Season with pepper; toss to combine. Gently fold in beaten eggs.  Mixture should be moist, but not soaking wet.  If it appears dry, add one of the follow:  kraut juice, apple juice or chicken broth.

Grease a casserole dish.  Place stuffing in dish and bake it covered until heated through, 45 minutes to 1 hour. For a crunchy top, uncover it for the last 15 minutes of baking.                 Yield: 12 to 14 cups







 GRILLED CHICKEN WITH BLUEBERRY MUSTARD SAUCE
4 tbsp. lemon juice, divided
4 boneless chicken breasts
2 tsp. dry mustard
2 tbsp. honey
2 c. blueberries
3 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 c. finely chopped onion
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
4 to 6 tbsp. white wine
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Prepare Chicken:
Place washed chicken breast into Ziploc bag with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 teaspoons dry mustard, and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Place in refrigerator to marinate for two to four hours. 
When marinating is done, grill chicken over white-hot coals or juices the highest heat of your broiler. Do not overcook; remove from grill while still tender. Chicken is done when juices no longer running pink.
If it isn’t grilling season, you can pan sauté the chicken or cook under the broiler.


Sauce:
Meanwhile, sauté finely chopped onion in two tablespoons vegetable oil until translucent. Stir in Dijon mustard, white wine, blueberries, remaining lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of honey and cinnamon. Simmer over low heat until blueberries have softened and become tender. Allow sauce to reduce for 5-10 minutes.
Slice grilled chicken diagonally and arrange on serving plate drizzled with blueberry mustard sauce.