Paul Rubinstein's Bigos

Paul Rubinstein's Bigos

6 dried European mushrooms (available in gourmet shops)
1 cup cold water
1 large yellow onion
3 pounds sauerkraut
3 green tart cooking apples
1 pound 12 ounce can stewed tomatoes
1 cup light brown sugar
15 peppercorns, crushed
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 large bay leaf
1 tablespoon thyme
1 1/2 cups diced kielbasa (Polish or Hungarian garlic sausage)
3/4 cup diced cooked ham
3/4 cup cooked diced beef (or cooked lamb, veal, pork, wild hare or venison)
1 cup cubed salt pork (or bacon)
Liquid as needed (beer or Madeira wine)

Soak mushrooms in cold water two hours. Cut peeled onion in half, place in deep skillet over direct flame, cut side down, cook 5 minutes to brown, remove. Wash sauerkraut, squeeze out liquid. Add to cooking pot: sauerkraut, mushrooms (including liquid), peeled, cored, diced apples, tomatoes, brown sugar, peppercorns. garlic, onion (chopped), bay leaf and thyme. Cover, simmer very slowly several hours. Stir occasionally to prevent scorching. Add diced meats and salt pork. Stir, simmer 1 1/2 hours longer. Add liquid as needed. Cool, refrigerate at least 24 hours before serving. Reheat, serve with steamed potatoes and cold beer. Serves 8-10.

AFTERTHOUGHTS: The stew only improves with reheating. It will keep in refrigerator at least a week.