Kranjska klobasa with sauerkraut and žganci

Kranjska klobasa with sauerkraut and žganci

Recipes with Kranjska klobasa

The Sunday lunch served in every gostilna in Carniola. A pair of poached Kranjska klobasa over warm sauerkraut, with a mound of buckwheat žganci browned in pork lard on the side and a spoon of grated horseradish on the rim of the plate. Three Slovenian staples, one plate.

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

40 min

Servings

4

Difficulty

Easy

Ingredients

  • 2 pairs Kranjska klobasa (about 800g)
  • 600g sauerkraut, drained
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp pork lard or butter
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 200g buckwheat flour (ajdova moka)
  • 750ml water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 50g pork cracklings or diced bacon, for the žganci
  • Fresh horseradish, to grate at the table
  • Yellow mustard, to serve

Steps

1

Sweat the onion in lard with the bay leaf until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and a splash of water, cover, and braise on low for 30 minutes.

2

For the žganci: bring 750ml salted water to a boil. Pour in the buckwheat flour all at once. Do not stir. Press a wooden spoon through the centre to make a vent. Cook covered on low heat for 15 minutes.

3

Bring a separate pot of water to 75°C (no movement on the surface). Slide the Kranjska klobasa pairs in — peg and all. Hold the temperature for 12 minutes. Do not let it boil.

4

Drain the žganci, return to the pan with a knob of lard and the cracklings, and break apart with a fork into rough crumbs while frying for 3 minutes until golden.

5

Serve: a mound of sauerkraut, the pair of sausages on top (peg removed at the table), a side of žganci, and a small heap of freshly grated horseradish.

Tips

Žganci is more forgiving than polenta — slightly stiff is correct, almost crumbly. If the sauerkraut is sharp, a pinch of sugar at the end takes the edge off without making it sweet.