Rania's Recipes: Chocolate Orange Fondue, Beer-Simmered Bratwurst
Now that Christmas has passed, Rania Harris is looking ahead to New Year's Eve! Here's a great recipe that will be the hit of your party!
Chocolate Orange Fondue
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon Grande Marnier
- Orange segments, for dipping
- Dried Apricots, for dipping
- Pound cake cubes, for dipping
- Strawberries, cleaned, for dipping
- Biscotti bits, for dipping
Directions:
In a microwave-safe bowl, mix the sugar, heavy cream, chocolate, and butter together and microwave for 2 minutes.
Take out of microwave and give it a quick whisk. Add wine and whisk again. Transfer to a fondue pot with a flame underneath. Serve with orange segments, dried apricots, pound cake cubes, strawberries, and biscotti bits on the side, for dipping.
Yield: 1 ½ cups
Beer-Simmered Bratwurst with Grilled Onions And Sauerkraut
For the Sauerkraut:
- 2 cups red wine vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large head red cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
For the Bratwurst:
- 3 large onions, thinly sliced
- 3 pounds precooked bratwurst, pricked with a fork
- 6 (12-oz) bottled dark beer
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
- Bratwurst buns
- Whole grain mustard
Directions:
For the sauerkraut: Combine the vinegar, water, and sugar in a large saucepan (not aluminum or cast-iron), bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the cabbage is soft, about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (the sauerkraut can be made up to 2 days in advance, cooled, covered, and kept refrigerated. Bring to room temperature and drain before serving.)
For the bratwurst: Arrange the onion slices on the bottom of a medium stock pot. Place the bratwurst on top and add the beer, water, coriander, caraway, mustard seeds, and ginger. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
When ready to serve, heat a non-stick grill to on medium high heat. Lift the sausages out of the pot. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and place in a serving bowl. Discard the remaining liquid and aromatics.
