Sauerkraut Rice

Here’s a dish my family’s made since I can recall holiday dinners like Thanksgiving and Christmas. This rice comes together rather easily which is good to have in your arsenal of holiday side dishes, what with the mad dash going on in the kitchen. The dish would originally be made with “ksinolahano”…a coarser Greek version of sauerkraut which is also known as choucroute by the French.

Sauerkraut is a great substitute for this dish as there’s no “ksinolahano” here. This side dish is savory, little tangy and just a hint of smoky flavour from the paprika. My mom would often make this an accompaniment to roast turkey and I thought it paired well with the roast pork shanks of yesterday.

Sauerkraut Rice (Ρυζι με ξινολάχανο)

(serves 6)

1 1/2 cups of long-grain rice

1 litre jar/can of sauerkraut/choucroute, strained

1/2 stick of butter

1 small onion, diced

 1 1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

1/2 tsp smoked paprika

salt and pepper to taste

1. Pick-over your rice and rinse lightly over your tap and strain. Place about 3 cups of water and bring to a boil, add salt and your rice and simmer for 20-25 minutes and then strain.
2. In the meantime, strain your sauerkraut and taste it. If if it’s too tart for your liking, rinse in water and strain. Place a skillet on your stovetop over medium heat and add the butter and once it melts, add the diced onions and sweat for 4-5 minutes. Now add the strained sauerkraut, paprika and smoked paprika and stir in and simmer for a couple of minutes. Now add the reserved rice and stir until amalgamated and the rice has warmed-through. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and serve as a side to roast turkey or roast pork shanks.