Sausage Meat And Sauerkraut Casserole

• 1 tablespoon dried mushrooms
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 1/4 pound salt pork, in small cubes
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 tart apple, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 pounds sauerkraut
• 2 cups canned tomatoes
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 pound Kielbasy, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 2 cups cooked meat or game (beef, veal, venison or duck) in one-inch cubes
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into wedges
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 cup dry white wine

1. Cover mushrooms with boiling water and set aside to soften.
2. Cook the salt pork in a large, heavy sauce pan until golden brown.
3. Add onions and saute until soft but not brown.
4. Stir in the apple and saute another minute or two.
5. Rinse the sauerkraut in cold water and squeeze very dry.
6. Add sauerkraut to the saucepan and cook for several minutes.
7. Stir in the tomatoes, the mushrooms and their liquid and simmer for 15 minutes.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
9. Season the sauerkraut mixture with salt and pepper.
10. Spread one-third of the sauerkraut mixture in a large casserole, about 3-quart capacity.
11. Cover with half the meats, both the sausage and the cooked meat.
12. Cover with half remaining sauerkraut, the rest of the meat and then the last of the sauerkraut.
13. Arrange the apple wedges in a pattern on top, place a bay leaf in center and pour the wine over it.
14. Bake covered for 1 1/2 hours.
15. Serve with boiled potatoes and pickles.

mushrooms, boiling water, salt pork, onion, apple, sauerkraut, tomatoes, salt, kielbasy, game, apple, bay leaf, white wine

Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10207 (may not work)