Cabbage, Smoked Sausage and Potato Stew

Serves 4 to 6

This recipe, which is typical of everyday Pennsylvania Dutch and German cooking, is an easy and delicious one pot meal. All it needs is some good rye bread served on the side. It is common for the Pennsylvania Dutch cook to save the bacon grease that is leftover from cooking bacon and refrigerate it to use in dishes such as this. It adds a lot of flavor. However, if you do not have any, you can substitute cooking oil.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons bacon grease or cooking oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced into 3/4-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 small potatoes, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 large head cabbage, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cups water

Heat a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon grease and sausage. Sauté, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and sauté another 3 minutes or until golden. Add the potatoes, cabbage, thyme, caraway, salt, pepper and water; stir well. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until the cabbage and potatoes are tender, about one hour. Serve immediately, or keep hot on a very low burner.