Over the weekend my husband introduced a group of food lovers and myself to a new technique of German style grilling called schwenken. The set up is quite simple, all you need is a tripod, open fire ( or fire bowl in our case), a suspended grill ( we used our webber grill) with some chain and hard wood, we used apple wood. We sat around the grill and pushed it through the hot fire which cooked the pork loin, sweet potatoes and asparagus quickly and evenly and imparted a great smoked flavor. And everyone enjoyed participating to the meal. I already have my next meal on the schwenker planned. This will include bratwurst and sauerkraut. I am starting the sauerkraut today in preparation See recipe below to make sauerkraut at home which is a great fermented food for your health.
April 15th
Salad
Baby spinach with mango, cucumber, red onion, toasted
peanuts, creamy lime cilantro dressing
Entree
Thai grilled chicken with tamarind dipping sauce
Delicious Sides (choose one)
Steamed jasmine rice with scallions
Grilled eggplant salad with shallots, cilantro and mint
Vegetarian - Tofu, beans, mushrooms and basil
Dessert
Strawberry shortcake with whipped cream
April 16th
Salad
Arugula salad with beets, oranges, walnuts, goat cheese and
white balsamic vinaigrette
Entree
Grilled rubbed tri tip with grilled fennel and onions
Delicious Sides (choose one)
Fregola with peas, artichokes and lemon
Grilled asparagus with chopped egg, shaved Parmesan and
olive vinaigrette
Vegetarian option – Mushroom and vegetable shepherds pie
Dessert
Chocolate cup cakes with buttercream
April 17th
Salad
Fattoush salad with arugula, radish, cherry tomatoes,
cucumber, roasted peppers, pita croutons, feta, lemon vinaigrette
Entree
Harissa lamb patties, tahini sauce, taziki, pita pockets,
shredded lettuce, chopped tomato, chopped red onion
Delicious Sides (choose one)
Bulgur salad with tomatoes scallions, spinach, olives and
mint
Cauliflower salad with capers, golden raisins and pine nuts
Veg option: Falafel with fava beans, parsley and mint
Dessert
Chocolate pistachio shortbread
April 18th
Salad
Radicchio, arugula, fennel, apple and hazelnut salad with
champagne vinaigrette
Entree
Coffee rubbed pork tenderloin with mustard cider sauce
Delicious Sides (choose one)
Wild mushroom creamy grits
Sautéed broccoli di ciccio wit garlic and chili flakes
Vegetarian/Vegan option: Baked stuffed artichokes
Dessert
Lemon bars
April 19th
Salad
Mixed greens with picked red onions, feta, cucumbers,
radish, croutons, red wine vinaigrette
Entree
Grilled salmon with watercress sauce
Delicious Sides (choose one)
Quinoa salad with snap peas, fennel, dill, shallots and
lemon vinaigrette
Asparagus with aioli
Vegetarian option-Swiss chard, caramelized onion and goat
cheese galette
Dessert
Chocolate glazed brownies
Sauerkraut
5 # cabbage ( green, red or combination)
3T sea salt
Optional - garlic, caraway seeds, juniper berries, dill seeds, onions, turnips, beets, apples, carrots
1.Chop or grate cabbage - coarsely or finely - however you like it
2. Place cabbage in bowl, salt as you go
3. Add other vegetables and/or spices if you like. See above
4. Mix ingredients together and pack in a crock. Pack it tightly by using your fists or other sturdy kitchen implement. The tamping packs the kraut tight in the crock and helps force water out of the cabbage.
5. Cover with a plate or some other lid that fits snugly inside the crock. Place a clean wight ( such as a glass jar filled with water) on the cover. Cover the whole thing with a cloth to keep dust and flies out.
6. Press down on the weight and add pressure to the cabbage to help force the water out. Continue to do this periodically ( every few hours) until the brine rises above the cover. This can take 24 hours. If the brine does not rise above the plate level by the next day add enough salt water to bring the brine level above the plate ( 1 T salt to 1c water and stir until dissolved).
7. Leave crock to ferment - a cool dark location is best for a slower fermentation or place somewhere in your kitchen that's out of your way.
8. Check the kraut every day or two. Sometimes mold appears on the surface. If that happens just skim it off. Rinse the plate off and taste. Generally it starts to be tangy after a few days. It will get stronger the longer it sits. When it tastes ready, store it in the refrigerator in a jar. It will last a few weeks.
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