Allgäuer Krautspatzen with dark beer

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 250 g sauerkraut
• 2 onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp, sautéed juniper berries
• 1 tbsp, leveled black peppercorns
• 2 carnations
• some nutmeg, freshly grated
• 2 potatoes
• 4 tbsp lard
• 300 g smoked bacon
• 500 g Spätzle, fresh from the refrigerated section
• ½ liter of dark beer (e.g. Korbinian Dunkel from Zötler)
• ¼ liter broth

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Suitable for children as there is less sauerkraut

Dice the onions and bacon. Squeeze out the excess water from the cabbage. Heat the lard in a sufficiently large pot. Fry the onions in the hot fat until golden brown. Add the smoked bacon and fry briefly. Add the cabbage to the pot, pour in half the beer, and add the spices. Peel and dice the potatoes, and mix them with the cabbage. Simmer the cabbage in a covered pot over medium heat, adding more beer and stirring occasionally. If too much liquid evaporates, reduce the heat slightly and add more stock if necessary. If there is too much liquid, increase the heat slightly and leave the lid slightly open. The cabbage should not be swimming in the liquid, but only steaming gently. Simmer the cabbage until the potatoes have broken down and can be completely mixed with the cabbage (approx. 1.5 hours). Prepare the spaetzle according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Lightly brown in a pan with butter. Season with salt and pepper. Mix the spaetzle into the cabbage and let it simmer for another 30 minutes on low heat. For the children, remove the peppercorns, bay leaves, juniper berries, and cloves from the dish before serving.