Comforts of home

We all have food that gives us that lovely feeling of happiness, security or simply reminds us of something comforting. Funnily enough it is not something most of us eat that often.

I was sat on the kitchen step checking my phone at 11am half watching my son building his random construction including marble run, bamboo planks and my actual cactus plants when I realised: it has been so long since I cooked something from back home. Some of you will know back home is in Lithuania. Winters are most often cold and harsh with anything -10 and lower as standard. I spent my teens in the village where we farmed our food: start to finish. Vegetables, meat, butter and cheese, we did make a monthly shopping trip to the nearby town for washing powder, soap, rice, flour, bread occasional treats and ketchup. Which was a rarity as it was not an essential item. So this time of year (in those days) you were most likely snowed in and ate what you had left from Autumn harvest : rubbery potatoes and carrots, preserves, pickled veg, jams, compotes, dried mushrooms etc.

Anyway, I looked on my shelves and spotted a dusty jar of sauerkraut. When I was 12 or 13 and Netflix did not exist, and in fact our TV only had 5 channels, it really wasn't that appealing to go and put it on... I do remember mum cooking a lot and me helping around out of boredom.

It was the cold winter months that we would spend a lot of time in the kitchen drinking sweet black tea and cooking. One of the dishes that I didn't quite appreciate at the time was a sauerkraut stew. It is a very simple, but strong flavoured dish and despite it being very common back home I wasn't a fan.

So today I decided to make it: few skin on potatoes, some smoked sausages, carrots, thyme and that dusty jar (luckily for me it was still in date!!).

I will not bore you with health benefits of fermented vegetables or potatoes with skin on, what I will say is that the warmth of childhood memories, comforting smells that take you back and something you can pass on to another generation is definitely worth a lot of points in healthy living, telling stories of making food, growing food and sharing it together or simply just hanging out in the kitchen together, so much joy in simple things.

And yes there was a home made pizza for my little man!

Recipe, serves 2:

• 1 jar 650g of sauerkraut (you can find these in most supermarkets)

• 15 small potatoes with skin on (boiled)

• 1 medium carrot grated

• 150g of smoked polish sausage

• 1/2 teaspoon of thyme

Method

• slice sausages into chunks and sizzle on the pan with grated carrot until slightly browned

• tip sausages and carrot into a saucepan, add sauerkraut, thyme and half a glass of water

• Simmer for 30-45min stirring regularly.

• In the meantime once potatoes are boiled transfer them to the frying pan and sizzle until golden brown, season with salt and pepper.

• Serve together!