October Feast

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Grilled Kielbasa With Pickled Red Cabbage

Potato dumplings

Pumpernickel bread

Chilled chunky applesauce and gingersnaps

When the hottest day of the year falls in October, it hardly seems like autumn. But far from Southern California, in the villages and cities of Europe, October means cool weather and Oktoberfest celebrations. We may not have the cool weather, but you can coax a little autumn into dinner with a simple Oktoberfest meal.

The menu we provide is not strictly authentic, but it’s fast and easy--perfect for hot-weather autumn cooking.

Kielbasa is a natural convenience food. Grill it with garlic-flavored oil and sweet peppers--this gives the sausage more flavor than steaming. Then move the kielbasa to the skillet and blanket it with instant pickled red cabbage; the meat stays juicy while picking up the cabbage’s sweet-sour tang.

Another good convenience food is boxed potato dumplings--small cooking bags of potato flakes which you boil in water or seasoned broth about 10 minutes. For dessert, homemade applesauce is fresher-tasting than canned, but if your time and energy are low, go the store-bought way. Pick up crisp gingersnaps as well.

Now sit back, relax and enjoy your meal with sips of cold German lager.

Staples

2 cloves garlic

1 small onion

Salt, pepper

3 tablespoons oil

Shopping

1 to 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa

1 large sweet yellow pepper

1 (1-pound 8-ounce) jar pickled red cabbage

Optional Side-Dish Shopping

1 (6.7-ounce) box potato dumplings in cooking bags

Pumpernickel bread

1 jar chunky applesauce

Gingersnaps

GRILLED KIELBASA WITH PICKLED RED CABBAGE

2 cloves garlic

3 tablespoons oil

1 large sweet yellow pepper

1 small onion

1 to 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa

1 (1-pound 8-ounce) jar pickled red cabbage

Salt, pepper

Mince garlic. Combine half of garlic with 1 tablespoon oil. Cut yellow pepper into julienne strips. Chop onion.

Place sausage on hot cast-iron stove top grill or broiler and brush with some garlic oil. Grill one side until browned, then turn. Add sweet yellow pepper and brush with garlic oil. Grill until browned.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet and saute onion and remaining garlic until tender. Stir in pickled cabbage. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add cooked sausage to skillet, covering sausage with cabbage. Cover and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Add grilled peppers. Continue cooking 5 minutes. Makes 4 servings.