WHAT’S COOKING: Bockwurst with a warm potato and bacon salad and braised red cabbage

A delightful supper dish, reminiscent of German cuisine, features bockwurst with a warm potato and bacon salad, alongside braised red cabbage. Disliking sauerkraut, I opted to braised red cabbage, finishing it with a touch of fruit juice and mustard. Bockwurst, a traditional German sausage, is typically made of ground veal and/or pork, often boasting a higher proportion of veal. It boasts a distinct brownish appearance, owing to its parboiling and brief smoking process—around 30 to 60 minutes at high temperatures.

The Ricomondo range, crafted by the Yeoman Group, is often marketed as "an Italian slice produced in South Africa". However, the absence of bockwurst on their website, including the Ricomondo section, raises curiosity. I was unable to check the product ingredients, but I confidently assume there's no veal in these sausages, possibly due to South Africa's lower intake of veal.

These bockwurst, smoked in beechwood and pre-cooked, were heated to ensure they were piping hot. I chose to pan-fry them lightly with some oil, granting them a neat, burnished exterior while preventing bursting. Accompanying these sausages, I prepared a warm potato salad. This dish begins with simmering chopped onions with thyme, followed by frying half a packet of bacon bits until golden and crisp.

Botanical (or red wine) vinegar, mustard, and seasoning come next. The potatoes, boiled earlier and drained, are then added to the bacon, onion, and dressing, tossed together before serving.

Braised red cabbage, a simple process, involves shredding the cabbage and simmering it in olive oil, finishing with fruit juice and a hint of mustard. The bockwurst, served with the warm potato salad, creates a harmonious meal for two.