Help with ingredient combination
 

Good evening! My plans for the weekend main course fell through because the pork shoulder steaks were spoiled. Grrrr.

I have the following ingredients on hand. I don't want to go to the store until next week. Do you think the flavors will be horrible?

Kielbasa
Sauerkraut
Cream Cheese
Jalapeno pepper
Onion
Garlic
Chicken stock

I found a recipe for creamy kielbasa and sauerkraut but it uses sour cream and green pepper.

I found recipes mixing cream cheese, sauerkraut and corned beef and also a recipe that mixes cream cheese, sauerkraut, and breakfast sausage.

I've made a stuffed mushroom casserole using cream cheese and chicken stock to create the sauce. I was thinking I could make something similar with the kielbasa and sauerkraut.

Between all of these, I think this will work. I was thinking of adding mushrooms (before they go bad) but that might be too much. Or it might add another neutral flavor to offset the sauerkraut and jalapeño.

Thoughts? I don't usually create my own recipes!

Thanks!

I don't think I'll be much help, because I hate sauerkraut, but here are a few thoughts. ;)

- Is the sauerkraut in vinegar? I was thinking this might make the cream cheese curdle, but OTOH, I've made heated-up salsa (also vinegary/acidic) and cream cheese mixtures and it was fine. Maybe wait until the very end to melt in the cream cheese?

- I'd go ahead and add the mushrooms. They add some umami savouriness, and not too weird of a flavour on their own (IMO).

- If you don't want to use the jalapeno, you can chop it up and freeze it. They freeze quite well just like that, no need to blanche or anything like that.

Hope it turns out. :)

Thank you Kristine! I will likely give it all a try and see what happens.

What about making a layered casserole, rather than everything mixed together? ... and I'd be tempted to leave out the mushrooms. Save those to fry in butter and tuck inside an omelet for tomorrow's breakfast/brunch ;).

First .. slice the sausages and brown them in a little oil. Spread in the bottom of your casserole/baking dish. In the same skillet, soften chopped onion, garlic and jalapenos (add more oil if needed). Meanwhile, drain the sauerkraut really well (to avoid a soupy, watery mess). Stir the onion-jalapeno mix into the kraut, plus a grind or three from a peppermill .. then spread this over the browned sausage slices. Top with cream cheese cubes (easier to do if the cream cheese is really cold and firm). Bake in preheated 400 F oven till bubbly and cheese is melted and golden brown. Maybe 15 minutes? The sausages and veg are already cooked so it's just a matter of browning the top. If you have some paprika or smoked paprika, would be nice to sprinkle on top before it goes into the oven.

Alternately, you could try blending the softened cream cheese with an egg, then spread over top of the sausage-kraut layers like a custardy topping. Bake as described above.

:idea:

Thanks Doreen! That's a good idea too.

The flavor profile worked out! I’m kind of surprised I couldn’t find a recipe using these ingredients online. I found something similar but using sour cream, onion, green pepper ...

I ended up taking kind of a lazy approach today so I did not do the layered casserole that you suggested Doreen.

I drained the sauerkraut for about 2 to 3 hours. I sliced the kielbs and fried it in butter. Then I added 2 teaspoons of diced jalapeño. Then I added in the sauerkraut. Once it was heated through, I added in A bit of chicken stock and the cream cheese.

The cream cheese did not curdle. I created a nice creamy offset to the sauerkraut and the jalapeño. It probably could’ve use more jalapeño or I could have left a little bit more of the white membrane in the jalapeño. But considering I am new to cooking with jalapeño or coming anywhere near jalapeño, I went easy on it. Really easy!

I ended up bypassing the mushrooms this time. I will fry them up separate.

Awesome! I've always joked that I love jalapeño/cheese anything, I'd eat a dirty sock if you plastered it with enough jalapeño and cheese. :lol: Now I know what to try if I'm ever gifted sauerkraut. ;)

I hear you on not overdoing the jalapeño, especially considering that their heat can really vary. I've grown some that hardly have any heat, but then a month later, off the same plant after a good heat wave/slight drought, they're :devil: :exclm:

Interesting Kristine. I guess I'm not surprised about the heat variance.