Source:

S. Chokel

Serves/Makes:8

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz (448 grm). can sauerkraut
• 1 lb (.5 kg). good quality natural casing weiners or about 6-8 kielbasa
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large bay leaf
• 1 can kidney or October beans
• 3 potatoes, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• cracklings or cooked diced bacon
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• In a large pot, place partially rinsed sauerkraut, beans, onions and garlic.
• Add the diced potatoes and weiners or sausages sliced into 1/4 inch slices.
• Add water to "just" cover, about 2 quarts (1900 ml) or so.
• Then, add the pepper, bay leaf and adjusting for salt later.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, taste and season with salt, and simmer for two hours, (the longer it cooks, up to about 5 hours, the better it tastes).
• When ready to serve, heat the cracklings or the bacon in a frying pan and sprinkle on top to serve.

Comments

Some like a little of the cracking (or bacon) fat drizzled into their hot soup bowls too.

Although it is traditional in Slovenia to use the beans in this soup, I omit them and add both a very high quality weiner and use the slovenian variety of keilbasa, and increase the amount of sauerkraut. I also use a good quality chicken broth instead of water, these changes make a very hearty and delicious "chowder" like soup that we like better.]

Slovenian Kielbasa is far less fatty, a tad more garlicy, and has a coarser grind than polish keilbasa.

Note: The potatoes in this recipe boil down to almost "nothing", if you like them more firm, add them at the last 40 minutes of your soup's simmering time.