Wine-Braised Seafood Choucroute

• 3 ounces bacon, chopped
• 2 medium onions, sliced thinly lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 qts. fresh sauerkraut (3 lbs.)
• 2 cups dry Riesling or Gewurztraminer, divided
• 1 1/2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon juniper berries
• About 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 1/4 cup fresh Meyer or regular lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• Salt
• 1 1/2 pounds boned, skinned firm white-fleshed fish fillet, such as halibut or black cod
• 6 fresh seafood sausages* (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
• 6 ounces hot-smoked salmon, skinned and broken into large chunks
• Chopped fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 325u0b0. In a large, wide ovenproof pot, brown bacon over medium-high heat, 4 to 5 minutes. Add onions and garlic; cook until onions are soft, 5 minutes.
2. Rinse sauerkraut well in a colander; squeeze out as much moisture as possible. Stir sauerkraut into onion mixture. Add 1 1/2 cups wine, the broth, bay leaves, juniper berries, and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and bake until sauerkraut is barely tender to the bite, about 1 hour.
3. In a small saucepan, boil shallots in remaining 1/2 cup wine until liquid is reduced by half. Remove from heat; whisk in lemon juice and mustard, then 6 tbsp. olive oil in a thin stream. Season with salt and pepper and pour into a small pitcher.
4. Rinse fish, pat dry, and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook fish, skinned side up, until browned on the bottom, about 6 minutes.
5. Nestle sausages into sauerkraut mixture and top with fish, browned side up. Cover and bake until sausages and fish are opaque but still moist-looking in center (cut to test), about 10 minutes.
6. Transfer fish and sausages to a warm plate. With a slotted spoon, mound sauerkraut on a warm platter; discard braising liquid. Tuck chunks of smoked salmon into sauerkraut and arrange fish and sausages around and on top. Sprinkle with chives and serve with vinaigrette.
7. *Find at gourmet markets and seafood shops (you might have to order ahead). Or substitute 1 1/2 lbs. peeled deveined raw shrimp (16 to 20 per lb.; tails left on); in step 5, stir shrimp into sauerkraut before adding fish.
8. Veggie-friendly wines:
9. SAUVIGNON BLANC: Rochioli Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (Russian River Valley; $26). Rich and complex; lively herbs; exotic mix of Asian pear, grapefruit, lemongrass. Signaterra (by Benziger Family) Shone Farm Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2007 (Russian River Valley; $26). Lovely new-mown grass and herb aromas followed by a splash of grapefruit.
10. SPARKLING WINE: Gruet Blanc de Blancs 2004 (New Mexico; $25). A delightful sparkler with fresh grapefruit, melons, and pears over faint tropical notes. Schramsberg Blanc de Blancs 2005 (North Coast; $36). Crisp apple and creamy lemon blend with stone fruit and a yummy toasted character.
11. DRY RIESLING: Claiborne & Churchill Dry Riesling 2006 (Central Coast; $18). Fuzzy apricots and peaches balanced by minerals and a touch of classic Riesling diesel-fuel quality (a good thing). Trefethen Family Dry Riesling 2007 (Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley; $22). Crisp and bright, with lemon zest and beautiful stone fruit.
12. DRY GEWURZTRAMINER: Londer Dry Gewurztraminer 2007 (Anderson Valley; $26). Perfumed with honeysuckle and juicy with stone fruit and citrus. Stony Hill Gewurztraminer 2006 (Napa Valley; $21). True to its name-full of wet stones, plus flowers and spice and satisfyingly bitter grapefruit.
13. Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

bacon, onions, garlic, fresh sauerkraut, chicken broth, bay leaves, juniper berries, freshly ground black pepper, shallots, fresh meyer, mustard, olive oil, salt, whitefleshed fish fillet, fresh seafood sausages, salmon, fresh chives

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/wine-braised-seafood-choucroute (may not work)