Oktoberfest

We used to have some great Oktoberfest parties in the County. I can still picture Willi in his lederhosen. What a great guy he was, still greatly missed after all these years by those who knew him. I always remember him at Oktoberfest. I’m not going out anywhere, but I am eating well at home. We had schnitzel and spaetzle, a meal we all love and eat often. My son makes the spaetzle and finishes it with Gruyere. This year I made a stew with all those Oktoberfest flavours for my mom. She loves soup for dinner and this has all her favourite ingredients including sausage, beans and cabbage. It was easy to put together once everything was chopped. I used a lager to keep the flavour mild. I bought a small cabbage, but still barely used much of it. I had some bratwurst in my freezer, but it is the smoked sausage that really makes the flavour in the stew. It is really a slightly thickened soup.

Oktoberfest stew
4 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb. smoked German sausage

1/2 lb. bratwurst sausage

2 onions, diced

2 carrots, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 head green cabbage, sliced, about 6 cups

2 tablespoons flour

1 large can lager or German stout

6 cups chicken stock

4 sprigs thyme

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pint new potatoes, quartered

1 can 19 oz. white kidney beans

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sausage and brown all over, about 3-5 minutes then remove from pot and set aside. Add the other two tablespoons of oil to the pot and then add the onions and carrots.Cook, stirring, until they brown and start to caramelize and then add the garlic and seeds. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cabbage and stir well until it starts to wilt. Sprinkle in flour and mix well. Stir in the lager and cook for a few minutes. Stir in the stock and thyme and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper.Cover with a lid, reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Slice the sausage and add to the pot with the potato and beans. Simmer another 15 minutes until potato is tender. Taste and add more seasoning if needed. Stir in parsley.

Makes 6-8 servings.