Sea sauerkraut with three fish Alsatian recipe

A sea sauerkraut with three fish (haddock, salmon, cod) with ultra gourmet sauce and much lighter than white butter. Adaptation of the recipe of the Alsatian chef Baumann, his inventor.

Origin and history of sea sauerkraut

It is Chef Guy-Pierre Baumann Who invented this recipe in 1972over 50 years ago.

This Alsatian who directs several breweries in Paris Notes that he has at times difficult to sell the emblematic Alsatian dish which he always has à la carte, the traditional sauerkraut. Indeed When it is too hot, customers do not order a garnished sauerkraut.

Pioneer of the fight against junk food in the 1970s and lawyer for dietary cuisine even in traditional dishes, he then decides to revisit the recipe and lighten it by removing meat and cold meats and replace them with three well -chosen and harmonious fish: a white fish, dutan, salmon and smoked Haddock To recall the smoked taste of the sausage of the traditional dish.
He serves this sauerkraut with a little sauce a bit butter which gives a little pep and gluttony to the whole.

Beyond fish sauerkraut, he offered other adaptations, democratizing sauerkraut in Paris.

Guy-Pierre Baumann takes over the management of Kammerzell Alsatian house at the foot of the cathedral in Strasbourg In 1987. Thanks to this three -fish sauerkraut recipe, he made the reputation of this establishment.

Arrived in Paris at 18 CAP in pocket, become emblematic ambassador of Alsatian gastronomywith several Alsatian establishments, it is a bit One of the pioneers of the chefs who approach restoration as a businessman with multiple breweries.
He remained the owner of the Kammerzell house until 2009. Died in September 2022, at 82, his signature dish is still served in the establishment.

The original recipe for sea sauerkraut

It can be found on the website of Maison Kammerzell, invented by chef Guy-Pierre Baumann.

Ingredients for 4 people:
The sauerkraut: 1.2 kg of sauerkraut, 3 small onions, 3 cloves of garlic, 10 gr of juniper berries, 5 gr of cumin, 1/2 bay leaf, 1 bit of thyme, 2 to 3 pinches of coarse salt, 5 to 6 turns of pepper mill, 20cl of dry white wine (riesling, sylvaner or white sancer), 1 glass of water, 70 gr goose.
Fish: 400gr of smoked Haddock nets, 400gr of salmon nets, 400gr of a stunner, 300gr of mussels.
The sauce: 400gr of butter, 4 chopped shallots, 15cl of alcohol vinegar, 10cl of white wine, 15cl of fresh cream

Chief’s instructions ::

Sauerkraut is prepared by bringing back without coloring the onions and garlic in the goose fat. Then we add the raw sauerkraut previously washed with lukewarm water twice, the aromatics (juniper berries, cumin, bay leaf, thyme) in closed muslin, two glasses of white wine, a glass of water, coarse salt and pepper from the mill. Simmer covered for 1.5 hours.
Fish: Haddock is reheated in milk for 10 minutes. The white fish is baked in a dish with salt, pepper, butter, chopped shallots, white wine and a glass of water, covered with aluminum foil, in a hot oven for 5 minutes. The recipe on the site does not talk about cooking salmon or mussels!
The sauce: We bring back and reduce to the chopped shallots, vinegar and white wine. When there is no more liquid we add the cream. Then the butter little by little, stirring with a whisk. We dirty, pepper and Chinese filter.

The difference between Baumann’s recipe and mine

Sauerkraut

I use sauerkraut already cooked, The one that cold meats sell for classic meat sauerkraut. It is very suitable and makes this dish so easy and quick to prepare!
But if you want to take it, then follow its recipe, I don’t have better to offer!

I therefore use cooked sauerkraut With 2 onions that I previously brought in butter or when I have duck fat. Sometimes with a few smoked bacon.
I warm the sauerkraut with these pan -fried onions, adding a little water and possibly a little dry white wine.

Potatoes

I add potatoes. I do them Steam or in salted water. Once cooked, I add them to my casserole dish on the sauerkraut.

I leave on the fire or leave at medium temperature in the oven covered, at around 70 to 90 ° C.

For the three fish

For the fish I use salmon, smoked Haddock and suddenly in place of the Poutan. No molds.

For cooking:

1/ For the Haddock, Same I have it warm and expect in milk. But as for my vegetable soup in Haddock and for my leek and haddock quiche, I especially do not throw the milk which is so scented. I reserve it and add it to my sauce.
2/ for salmon I steam it or in a dry pan on the water side and unilateral. I cover and cook the fish gently.
3/ For the cod I cook it steam or in the pan as follows. I have a parchment paper at the bottom of my stove. I have my cod pieces on it. I add salt, pepper, several nuts on the fish, covers a lid and cook very gently.

The sauce

For the sauce, Baumann’s recipe is a kind of white butter With butter, a lot of butter, really a lot! 400 gr for 4 people it’s 100 gr per person! And fresh cream in addition.

For my part, I go on a base of white butter without vinegar by doing Return the chopped shallots with white wine and I add a big knob of butter.
When the liquid has reduced, I add zests and juice of a lemon and cream. I sneak with salt, pepper and a little Espelette pepper To raise a little. It’s optional because not very Alsatian!
I mix and reserve until service. SO I add more butter and haddock milk.

It makes a nice amount of sauce but like sauerkraut, potatoes and fish are without juice or sauce, it’s good to have a well -napping and generous sauce.

Filter the sauce or not? And there it is your choice, Either like me you serve the sauce as it is, you pass it to Chinese To keep only one creamy sauce and throw the minced shallots that came back to white wine and we have a little acidity. As Chef Baumann does in his traditional fish sauerkraut recipe, and as we do for an authentic white butter.
It’s a matter of taste. I admit, as for my favorite lemon sauce and cream to serve with any type of fish, I don’t do it. Up to you!

For the main steps

Preparation in advance

I Prepare the base of my sauce. I Cook the potatoes. I Soak the Haddock in milk.
I Prepare my sauerkraut with pan -fried onions that I add my sauerkraut. When she’s hot, I Put on my cooked potatoes And Oven guard at medium temperature Covered that stands warm without cooking or drying out.

15 minutes before serving

I give back to gently heat my sauce.
I do cHauff my haddock in milk. I cooked my salmon and my cod to the pan.
When the Haddock heated 10 minutes, I Put the Haddock songs with sauerkraut and potatoes.
IAdd butter to my sauce and pour the remaining milk from the Haddock. I taste and adjust it if necessary. Optionl, that’s where we Pass the chinoi sauces if we want to withdraw the shallots returned to the wine.
There is only to draw upevening the fish served apart either placed on sauerkraut and potato. Ideally serve the sauce apart otherwise everything will mix with sauerkraut. You can also set up individual plates.