Oktoberfest Slow Cooker Root Vegs And Sausage

OKTOBERFEST SLOW COOKER                 ROOT VEG'S And SAUSAGE

This classic German one-pot wonder is loaded with red onion, purple cabbage, potatoes, carrots and parsnips, all braised in apple cider. If you can find Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), add them too! It can be made in a countertop slow cooker or in a Dutch oven on the stovetop or in the oven. If you want to make this hearty dish for Meatless Monday, omit the bacon and switch up the sausages for big, fat king oyster mushrooms, tofu, Japanese eggplant, hard-boiled eggs or any of those really great faux-meat sausages, franks or dogs. There’s even vegan bacon that’s pretty convincing. If you can’t find it, no worries! An equal amount of smoked almonds adds a bacony flavour and crunch to a vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil or lard
4 tao 6 slices of bacon, coarsely chopped
4 to 6 German-style sausages
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 very small purple cabbage, cored and shredded, about 6 cups sliced
4 cups tiny new baby or fingerling potatoes, washed
3 carrots, peeled, cut into approx. 2-inch pieces
2 parsnips, peeled, cut into approx. 2-inch pieces
1 large apple, cored, cut into approx. 2-inch pieces
5 Jerusalem artichokes (sunchokes), scrubbed, cut in half (optional)
1 tsp sea salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ cup red wine vinegar
½ cup dry apple cider
Sour cream to garnish

Directions:

1. Into a slow cooker on “brown” or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the oil and bacon; stir often until bacon softens, about 3 minutes. Add the sausages and, turning occasionally, brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer browned sausages to a plate; set aside.

2. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the onions and garlic, stirring often until they are soft and translucent. Add the cabbage, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, apple and artichoke, if using; stir. Add salt and pepper, stir, then add the red wine vinegar and apple cider; stir.

3. Return the sausage and any drippings back to the pot, arranging them on top of cabbage mixture. Cover and pop it into the oven or, if using slow cooker, reduce heat to low and allow to cook for 50 minutes. Remove lid and allow excess liquid to steam off for about 10 minutes. There should just be 1 or 2 inches of broth. Taste for salt; adjust if desired.

4. Bring to the table with a warm-from-the oven loaf of crusty German rye, a dish of sour cream and some strong German mustard.

Serves 4 to 6 (1 sausage per person)