Ingredients:
Bratwurst sausages, enough for 1 per person
Apple juice, enough to fill the bottom of a skillet
1 package of dried Spatzle
1/2 head of red cabbage
1/2 an apple
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Green beans
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1 shallot
1 tablespoon dijon mustard, plus more for serving
2 cups beef broth
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
Method:
Red Cabbage: Dice half a head of red cabbage and half a large apple. Heat a skillet to medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Add cabbage, apple and a sprinkle of salt and saute for one minute. Add 2 cups of water and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar. Cover with a lid and simmer for 35-40 minutes, checking every so often to see if you need to add more water. Don't let the pan get dry or it will burn. At 35 minutes remove the lid and add 1/4 cup brown sugar and stir. Simmer for a few more minutes.
Bratwurst: Heat a cast iron skillet. Add bratwurst sausages and fill the pan half way up the brats with apple juice. Simmer for 15 minutes, flipping the brats half way through. Remove from the pan and drain any remaining apple juice. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Sear the brats on both sides until crisp and very brown. Remove from the skillet, and use the same pan to make the gravy.
Gravy: Finely dice a shallot. Lower the heat in the pan you cooked the brats in to medium low heat. Cook the shallot for a few minutes, until tender. Season with salt. Add 1/4 cup of flour to the pan and stir for 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon dijon mustard and stir. Add beef broth slowly while whisking. Cook for several minutes, until the gravy has thickened. Check for seasoning, I usually add more pepper.
Green beans: Cook the green beans. Simmer in hot water until al dente. Place in an ice bath. This keeps them that nice fresh green color and stops the cooking. Toss in a little butter and salt in a hot pan before serving.
Spatzle: Simmer the spatzle in boiling water according to the package instructions. Drain. Heat a pan to high heat and melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Saute the spatzle for a few minutes before serving.
Assemble your bowl with spatzle, green beans, red cabbage, bratwurst, gravy and more mustard. Enjoy!
