To bolster his new determination, Rick recalled his favorite
saying, "When faced with a crisis —make dinner." Beginning with a
glass of Burrell School's Syrah he focused for a second on the bold flavor. It
was a double award winner and an absolutely great tasting wine. Going to the
refrigerator, he took out the pot of Bigos that he had made earlier in the
week. Bigos was always better a few days later when the flavors of the
sauerkraut, ham, and Polish sausage had thoroughly blended together.
Rick
Podowski in Murder Before The Bell
Rick Podowski and The Hefty Trio fight to save their friend
accused of murdering the school principal. The story begins when Rick arrives
at Central High School and sees the administration building engulfed in flames.
Later, the police discover the charred body of the principal and as the police
start to gather evidence to frame the acting principal, Rick and The Hefty Trio
start their own inquiry. They discover that their friend and the principal are
both involved in illegal activities with a former South Vietnamese Colonel who
runs a language school on the campus every Sunday. The community loves the
Colonel and is unaware that he owns a house of prostitution in the neighborhood
and employs a local Mexican gang for security. A rival gang wants part of the
action. The excitement continues as Rick and The Hefty Trio while working to
solve the mystery indulge in gourmet Mexican, Irish, Italian and Polish dishes
from their ethnic heritages, paired with unique wines from the Santa Cruz
Mountains of California.
Bigos—Hunter's Stew (The Polish national Dish) with Burrell School's Syrah
This recipe comes from the Bigos Bar website first developed by Mike
Oborski, the honorary consul of the Republic of Poland in Kidderminister,
England. Rick likes this dish with a glass of Burrell School's Syrah because
the boldness of the dish is complemented by the boldness of the wine.
Serves 4 (This recipe can be doubled or tripled)
1 lb. sauerkraut
1/2 lb. ham with bone, pork spareribs pork rib roast, or
chicken
1 bay leaves
1/2 ounce. dried mushrooms, chopped
1/2 onion chopped and sautéed in butter
5 black peppercorns
3 allspice berries
1/4-teaspoon salt
4 cups beef broth,
1 lbs. green cabbage, chopped like sauerkraut
1 tablespoons butter or margarine
l pound of Polish Kiełbasa
Rinse sauerkraut with cold water and drain well. In a large
stockpot, combine sauerkraut, ham or pork, bay leaves, mushrooms, peppercorns,
allspice and salt. Add 2 cups of broth, bouillon, or water. Cook, uncovered, 15
minutes over medium heat. Cover and simmer over low heat 45 minutes. Remove
meat and let it cool.
Place cabbage in a large saucepan. Add remaining 2 cups broth,
bouillon, or water. Bring to boil. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat, 1 hour or
until cabbage is tender. Add to sauerkraut mixture. Bone the cooked meat. Cut
cooked meat into 1/2-inch cubes.
Melt butter or margarine in a large skillet. Add cooked meat,
smoked sausage, and white sausage. Sauté over medium heat 10 minutes or until
browned. Add to sauerkraut mixture. Also, add the onions. Cover and cook over
low heat 1 hour or longer. Remove and discard bay leaves. Serve hot.
|
| Bigos, pierogi and salad--delicious! |
The
secret of old-time Bigos is that it gets better as it's reheated on successive
days, peaking at the 6th or 7th day. In between, store covered in the
refrigerator.