Cold Winter Night Kielbasa with Slightly Smashed Potatoes

Sapporo Beer

Featured Ingredient: Sapporo Beer

OK, so this product, is not what you might expect as the featured ingredient, but it qualifies as a can, and it's a very tasty beer.

The next thing you probably wouldn't expect is, the recipe is for a Eastern European inspired dish.  It's East meets East or rather East meets EATS! I've  seen some different variations on Asian Fusion.  Last week on Top Chef they had David Chang the Chef from Ma Peche in New York, which has a French/Asian theme. So here is my take on Asian Fusion - Polish/German cuisine with literally a splash of Japan.

I'm a first generation Lithuanian. My parents came over as teenagers with their parents during World War II when the Soviet Union took over their country.  I don't have them any longer, so unfortunately I couldn't share this familiar meal with them.  I'm not the best food stylist and my available plate choices are not necessarily ideal, but I'm about real food for real people. For this photo, I used some of my mother's plates that she used on special occasions in their honor. As this dish seemed very much at home on an Eastern European table.

1 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1/4 scant cup full of light brown sugar
1 lb kielbasa.
1 medium onion chopped
2 garlic cloves minced
7 large red potatoes cut in quarters (about 3 lbs)
1 3/4 cup veal stock (or beef stock)
1/2 cup Sapporo Beer  - You'll have plenty left over to have with dinner
Dash of dried thyme leaves
2 bay leaves
1 Granny Smith apple - medium dice
1Tbsp butter
olive oil as needed
salt and pepper as needed

Whisk the mustard, vinegar, brown sugar and worcestershire sauce in a separate bowl.  Set aside.

Cut Kielbasa on the bias in 1 inch pieces

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil on medium heat. Brown the kielbasa in a Dutch Oven until it gets some color.  Remove from pot and set aside.

In remaining fat saute onion and garlic until onion is translucent. Add salt. (Give the onion a head start and add garlic when the onion is close to reaching the desired state).

Add stock and beer and raise pot to high heat until it begins to boil then turn down to a simmer.

Stir in mustard mixture and return kielbasa to pot. Add bay leaves and thyme.  Simmer for 20 minutes.   At the 20 minute mark, add the chopped apple and simmer for another 10-15 minutes - so that the apple still has some shape and is tender.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

In the meantime peel potatoes and boil in heavily salted water until tender. Once potatoes are tender, drain. Leave a tiny bit of water on the bottom of the pot.  Add 1 tbsp butter and salt and pepper.  Return potatoes to pot and gently stir to incorporate butter sauce.

Serve with Rye Bread and a Salad




Kielbasa with Potatoes

 A great example of cooking with beer. This dish is wonderful with complementary layers of flavors that unfold as they land on every taste bud. Sweet, tangy, savory with hit of herbal.  If you are calorie counting... just eat the salad