Some think sausage and mashed potato is best. I’m not one. This is the family recipe for kielbasa, kraut and potato — Alsatian-style, by way of Ireland.

1. Bake thick-skinned potatoes, then peel when cooled a bit. You could use a microwave, which cuts down the total cooking time by about 40 min.
2. Poke sausages with a knife to let escape fat, then boil for ten minutes. Cut into fingernail-width slices, and reserve. The more authentic the sausage, the better;  but, in a pinch, I’ve had success with “Hillshire Farm” product line.
3. Drain kraut and replace brine with the combination of sausage water and white wine. Then simmer kraut in rolling water for 10 minutes, adding four cloves and a bay leaf to get that cosmopolitan taste.

At the end, combine all the ingredients and plate while steaming. Myself, I definitely favor baking, rather than to microwave, the potatoes; because I prefer the evenness of the bake over a faster cooking time. Plus, I feel the baked potatoes end up peeling more easily, and remain whole more often (which is what I want).

Lastly, out of all the pre-made krauts, the best to use is the BA-TAMPTE brand. Currently, it’s available  in both plastic and in glass, and keeps nearly forever in the cold, nether-regions of your refrigerator.