In Pennsylvania, sauerkraut is a beloved flavor of the holiday season. My family had sauerkraut soup every Christmas Eve, and ate pork and sauerkraut as the first dinner of the new year.
Eating Sauerkraut on New Year's Eve is a long-standing tradition in Germany. It is believed that eating Sauerkraut will bring blessings and wealth for the new year. Before the meal, those seated at the table wish each other as much goodness and money as the number of shreds of cabbage in the pot of Sauerkraut. The pig has long been a symbol for good luck and well-being. Because of this, many people believe that eating a meal with pork will bring luck in the coming new year. For those who prefer not to eat pork on New Year's Eve, a sweet alternative, such as Marzipan-Pigs (Marzipanschweine) or pig-shaped chocolates, is believed to bring the same benefits."
Since the traditional Slovak Christmas Eve dinner is meatless, I still get to enjoy this recipe exactly as my great aunts made it. It's delightfully simple, but there's plenty of room to add other veggies. To really make it a meal for a cold winter night, cook up some sausage with the veggies and serve with crusty bread.
Sauerkraut Soup
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, chopped
8 oz package mushrooms, chopped (I use baby Bella's)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium russet potato, peeled and diced
1 can (15 oz) sauerkraut with juice
2 cups water or broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute onions, mushrooms and garlic in butter for 5 minutes. Add potato, sauerkraut and juice. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes until potatoes are tender, adding more water if needed. Season to taste.
Do you have a lucky food tradition? What's for dinner at your place?