Ingredients (8 servings):

1 kg Jar of Sauerkraut
1 kg Mix of Beef, veal, pork or lamb (diced into roughly 2cm. cubes)
250 g Boczek (Polish bacon - sliced)
600 g Mixed Polish sausage, such as Wieska, Tuchowska or Kilometrova
20 g Polish dried mushrooms
10 Stoned prunes
10 Juniper berries
10 Peppercorns
10 Whole Allspice
4 Bay leaves
2 Onions
1 small can of Tomato paste (optional)
2 tbsp Honey
1 litre Vegetable or beef stock (made with good quality stock cubes or
bouillon powder and boiling water)

Cooking instructions

Rinse the sauerkraut and place in a very large pot with a little of the stock. Set over a low heat and stir from time to time.

Whilst the sauerkraut is beginning to cook through, chop the onions and cut the bacon slices into pieces. Heat a frying pan and slowly cook half the bacon pieces. Then add the chopped onions to the pan and gently fry in the melted bacon fat until the onions are soft. Add this mixture of onion and bacon to the sauerkraut.

In the same frying pan, cook the remainder of the bacon until the fat is rendered and then add the beef and lamb (or whichever uncooked meat you have chosen), turning it so that it browns on all sides - you may have to do this in batches. Then add the browned meat to the pan and stir until mixed.

Add the prunes, spices, tomato paste and honey (if using), the bay leaves and the stock to the sauerkraut mixture. Stir well and bring just to the boil, then lower heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 1½ hours, stirring well from time to time.

Finally, cut the Polish sausages into bite-size pieces and add to the pot. Raise heat slightly to bring it back to boiling point, then reduce the temperature and leave to simmer for at least a further half an hour - though the longer it simmers, the better it gets!