Grünkohl Mecklenburg Style: East German Kale with Kassler and Sausage

Method

You'll needDutch oven or braising pot with lid, large pot with lid, pot for the potatoes, cutting board, sharp knife

1. Braise the Kassler

   Brown the Kassler neck all over in the Dutch oven with 1 tbsp oil over medium heat for about 5 min. Pour in 200 ml water, cover and braise over low heat for 25 min. Kassler is already cured and smoked and only needs to heat through.

2. Boil the potatoes

   Meanwhile, peel the potatoes, cut them into pieces of equal size and boil them, covered, in plenty of salted water for about 20 min until soft. Drain and keep warm.

3. Sweat the kale

   Peel the onion and dice it finely. Render the Kassler belly in the large pot over medium heat for about 5 min. Add the onion and sweat for 2–3 min until translucent. Add the kale (thaw frozen kale first, drain canned kale) and sweat it with the rest for 3 min, stirring.

4. Simmer the kale

   Deglaze with 200 ml water. Stir in 1 tsp stock granules, 1 tsp sugar, a pinch of nutmeg and pepper. Go easy on the salt, since the Kassler and Kohlwurst add salt too. Lay the Kohlwurst sausages on the kale (don't prick them, or they burst), cover and simmer over low heat for 20 min. Then stir in 3 tbsp oat groats and simmer for another 5 min so the kale turns nice and creamy.

5. Serve

   Cut the Kassler into slices about 1 cm thick. Taste the kale again and serve it in portions with the Kassler, one Kohlwurst each and boiled potatoes.