by Becca Hennessy
I’m not much of a cook, and I’ll always be the first to admit that. I am, however, the best taste tester out there! I’ve been very fortunate to always be surrounded by outstanding cooks. I recently was able to watch Jana, my husband’s stepmom (who is originally from the Czech Republic), create a dish that is quite popular in the Czech Republic. Pork with sauerkraut and dumplings is the dish (KNEDLO ZELO VEPŘO).
I asked if she had a recipe she followed and she smiled and said, “Oh no, I just throw it together and wish for the best.” I watched intently and tried to determine measurements of ingredients as she put the dish together. The pork was already started in the crockpot that morning so all she had left to do was make the dumplings and sauerkraut.
It was so fun to watch and ask questions as Jana cooked the meal. Jana said the most challenging part of cooking delicacies from the Czech Republic in the United States is finding substitutes for her ingredients. The finished product was delicious, and this taste tester rates this dish a ten out of ten!
KNELDO ZELO VEPŘO or Pork with Sauerkraut and Dumplings
Sauerkraut
1 onion- chopped to small pieces
1 head of cabbage- shred with knife to thin slices
½ cup of white vinegar
1 tbsp of salt
½ cup of sugar
Add oil to a pan and heat on medium-high heat. Add chopped onion and let sauté. Add sliced cabbage to sautéing onions after onions have softened and begun to brown. Add vinegar, salt and sugar and try to mix the onion and cabbage into the vinegar mixture. Place a cover over the pan and cook until the cabbage is soft.
Dumplings
2 ½ cups flour
1 Egg
2 cups Wondra flour
1 packet of active yeast
1 ½ cups of milk (warmed)
Pinch of salt
1 cup of oatmeal
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Add flour, egg, Wondra flour, yeast, warmed milk, salt, oatmeal and oil to a mixing bowl. Stir until it becomes a thick dough. Once stirred, kneed for 5-6 minutes and let rise. To cook- make the dough into a loaf and add to boiling water. Cook in water for fifteen minutes. Slice and serve!
Pork
Your choice cut of meat
A vegetable of your choice to add into the crockpot
Use your own preference of meat cut. The cut that was used with this meal was a shoulder roast. Place the meat into a crockpot and let cook on medium for 8- 12 hours. Add carrots. (Any vegetable can be used.)
Becca is the NDFB Northwest Field Representative.