It's January and it's time to atone for all those calories consumed during the holidays. Even though Meatless Bigos is served on Christmas Eve in Poland, it still is a great way to start the new year. This recipe is from the Mike Oborski Memorial Bigos Bar. The dish goes well with pierogi, sour cream and a cabernet like the Coyote Cuvee from Salamandre.
The recipe can be found in The Fishy Chips
Meatless Bigos (Hunter's Stew) Serves 6-8
2 pounds of sauerkraut
1/2 small cabbage, shredded
1/2 pound dried mushrooms
1 large onion chopped
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of tomato paste
Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with water for a few
hours. Drain well and then chop them. 
Wash the sauerkraut in cold water,
squeeze and place in a large saucepan. Cover with cold water. Cook for fifteen
minutes and drain well. Add cabbage. In a skillet, fry chopped mushrooms with
onions in oil. Add to the saucepan. Mix the tomato paste with one cup of water,
add to the saucepan and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and simmer on low
heat until all is tender.
Salamandre Wine Cellars
In addition to being a winemaker, Wells Shoemaker is a
pediatrician, a poet, and one of the authors of a book on the French paradox
(Perdue, Shoemaker, & Marton, The
French Paradox and Beyond, Renaissance Press, 1992.). He is also the
medical director of the California Association of Medical Groups, a statewide
organization whose members care for about 18 million Californians up and down
the state. His job focuses on narrowing the variation in performance and
helping to respond to the long overdue promise of meaningful healthcare reform.
Along with his partner, Dave South, he is the co-owner of Salamandre Wine
Cellars, which is located in a redwood canyon two miles from the beaches of
Aptos, California. The winery specializes in Pinot Noir, Primitivo, Chardonnay
Syrah, and Merlot.
The name and the symbol for the winery were chosen because
Aptos is the last refuge of the Santa Cruz Long Toed Salamander. This poem can
be found on their website
Cleopatra's servants dutifully fanned her
But she never tasted a red Salamandre
If you're in need of tasteful carousin'
We're ready to pour the wines of 2000
Rick loves the Ménage à Trois, a threesome of Primitivo,
Merlot, and Syrah. Another winery is selling a Ménage à Trois so Salamandre's
version is no longer in production. He also likes the Coyote Cuvée
.