The Back Page : Summer Link: Brats in Beer

As a former Wisconsinite living in Southern California, I’ve found one of the best things to serve friends is grilled bratwursts and onions. Where I come from, people will eat a bratwurst over a hot dog any day; it’s the perfect summer link. Most of this menu can be prepared ahead, leaving little last-minute clean-up and lots of time to relax and enjoy your friends.

The quality of the sausages is most important. There are many small butcher shops and specialty grocery stores that make their own bratwurst. It’s really worth it to search out these places because the flavor of these homemade sausages far exceeds the packaged variety.

Generally there are two types of bratwurst available: the all-pork variety and the fresh bratwurst made with mostly veal and a small amount of pork. I prefer the all-pork type because they are more flavorful. The veal-based sausages are more delicate.

Soaking the brats in beer overnight makes them plump up and stay juicy during grilling. Pierce the brats in a few spots with a sharp fork before cooking to allow the excess fat to drain off and prevent them from bursting. The grilling time will vary, but in general they should take anywhere from 15 to 20 minutes to cook. The onions should be drained and patted dry before sauteing, or leave them in the beer and serve them raw along with the brats

Of course, sauerkraut is a natural accompaniment to the bratwurst--here in the form of a sweet and sour relish. The lima bean and spinach salad is hearty yet light, tossed with blue cheese vinaigrette.

All that’s needed to round out this menu is a good chocolate cake, which can be purchased in most bakeries.

Menu

Brats in Beer

Sauerkraut Relish

Grilled Corn

Lima Bean and Spinach Salad

Chocolate Cake

GAME PLAN:

1 day before: Prepare Sauerkraut Relish, cover and chill. Marinate bratwursts in onions and beer. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Morning of barbecue: Prepare Blue Cheese Vinaigrette for lima bean salad. Combine remaining salad ingredients except for vinaigrette, greens and bacon. Cover and chill until ready to toss. Cook bacon, drain and crumble.

1 hour before serving: Saute onions for bratwurst, if desired. Clean and soak corn cobs.

20 minutes before serving: Begin grilling bratwursts and corn. While brats are grilling toss salad greens, bacon and vinaigrette with chilled lima bean mixture. Arrange in salad bowl and garnish with eggs and reserved bacon.

Last minute: Toast rolls for brats.

STAPLES

2 onions

Garlic

Stone-ground mustard

6 eggs

Olive oil

Cider vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Sugar

SHOPPING LIST

12 bratwursts

2 (25-ounce) cans beer

Dill pickles

12 hard rolls

6 ears corn

1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans

1 bunch green onions

1 bunch celery

1/2 pound sliced bacon

1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach

1 small head iceberg lettuce

1 lemon

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 (1-pound) jar refrigerated sauerkraut

1 small red pepper

1 small green pepper

Small bunch parsley

Chocolate cake

SAUERKRAUT RELISH

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup vinegar

2 cups sauerkraut, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup minced sweet red pepper

1/4 cup minced green pepper

2 tablespoons minced onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

*

* Bring sugar and vinegar to boil in saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Let cool.

* In serving bowl, combine sauerkraut, red and green pepper, onion, garlic and parsley. Pour over cooled vinegar mixture. Cover and chill until serving time.

*

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

86 calories; 521 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 0 fat; 22 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 0.91 gram fiber.

LIMA BEAN AND SPINACH SALAD

BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Salt, pepper

*

SALAD

1 (10-ounce) package frozen lima beans

1/2 cup sliced green onions

4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

1 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup chopped dill pickle

1/2 pound sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach

2 cups sliced iceberg lettuce

2 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

*

BLUE CHEESE VINAIGRETTE

* Combine olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, blue cheese, and salt and pepper to taste.

* Makes about 3/4 cup vinaigrette.

*

SALAD

Cook lima beans according to package directions and let cool.

In serving bowl, combine limas, green onions, chopped eggs, celery, pickle and bacon, reserving small amount of bacon to sprinkle over salad. Toss with spinach and lettuce. Add Blue Cheese Vinaigrette and toss. Serve garnished with sliced eggs.

*

Makes 6 servings.

Each serving contains about:

395 calories; 759 mg sodium; 239 mg cholesterol; 28 grams fat; 16 grams carbohydrates; 20 grams protein; 1.64 grams fiber.

BRATS IN BEER

2 onions, sliced thin

6 cloves garlic, halved

12 bratwursts

2 (25-ounce) cans beer

12 crusty hard rolls, split

Stone-ground mustard

*

* Layer 1/2 onions and garlic in bottom of deep glass baking dish or bowl. Arrange bratwursts on onions. Top with remaining 1/2 onions and garlic. Pour beer over bratwursts, cover and refrigerate overnight.

* Remove sausages from marinade. Leave onions raw or saute. To saute, remove onions to paper towels, pat dry and fry in small amount of oil.

* Pierce each bratwurst several times with sharp cooking fork before putting on grill. Grill over hot coals until cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Toast rolls on grill until browned. Serve bratwurst on bun with raw or sauteed onions and mustard.

*

Makes 12 bratwurst.

Each serving contains about:

467 calories; 793 mg sodium; 52 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams protein; 0.20 gram fiber.