Pretty Alsatian

Choucroute garnie, cobbled together from what was in the fridge and these two recipes.  Basically, the following:

(1) Toulouse Sausages (made with New Creation pork and Urban Growth garlic) got seared in duck fat (Plum Creek for the duck);

(2) Sausages were pulled and set aside and onion, garlic (Firefly), and largely diced homemade guanciale (Tea Hills pork) were cooked in the fat that remained in the pan until the onions were soft;

(3) In went some chix stock (also from Plum Creek birds) over the onion and garlic--white wine would have gone in too if I had some around--along with some homemade sauerkraut (got to start using that stuff up), peeled and rough diced Ohio apples (Nature's Bin--sorry Buster), a few bay leaves, and some juniper berries;

(4) The sausages got nestled in the mix and the whole thing got covered and placed in a 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes--until the sausages were cooked through and the guanciale was tender as could be;

(5) While the sausages and kraut were slowly cooking away in the oven some small peeled potatoes (Save a Lot--desperate times . . .) were boiled until tender;

(6)  When the potatoes were soft they got buttered and salted and were served along with the choucroute garnie, a simply dressed salad, and some good mustards (Honsa Haus).

All washed down with one of those Greenhouse Tavern Oregon pinot noirs (which the Greenhouse people gave to me through this blog--it was a classic Oregon pinot, not sure what it costs and the price/value, but I really enjoyed it), the whole thing felt pretty French.