Gotta Have My Sauerbraten

DEAR SOS: Help! I am looking for a much-loved recipe I seem to have lost. It was an old German sauerbraten recipe which was in the newspaper about 10 years ago. It had a three-or four-day marinade.

NANCY BARBER

Santa Barbara

DEAR NANCY: I’m happy to assist you. Speaking of assists, how about Shaquille and “ShaKobe?” Aren’t they something? This sauerbraten recipe comes from former Times Food Editor Ruth Riechl.

Sauerbraten

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 3 hours 10 minutes plus 5 days marinating

MARINADE

3/4 cup red wine

1 1/2 cups vinegar

2 onions, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

2 whole allspice

4 whole cloves

1 tablespoon salt

2 teaspoons pepper

Combine the wine, vinegar, onions, carrot, allspice, cloves, salt and pepper in large bowl.

ROAST

1 (3 1/2-pound) boned chuck roast

1/3 cup oil

Flour

1/2 cup gingersnaps, about 10 (2-inch) cookies

1 tablespoon sugar

Place the roast in a large, deep glass dish and cover with the marinade. Cover and refrigerate the roast 5 days, turning every day.

Heat the oil in a deep heavy pot over medium-high heat. Remove the roast from the marinade and wipe it dry. Reserve the liquid. Roll the roast in flour, then add it to the pot and brown it. Add the reserved marinade and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer the roast 2 1/2 hours.

Remove the roast from the pot and skim the fat from the liquid. Strain the drippings and add enough water to make 3 1/2 cups. Return the liquid to the pot.

Crush the gingersnaps in a food processor or blender and mix in the sugar. Slowly add 1/2 cup of the marinade to make a paste, then stir the paste slowly back into the pot with the remaining marinade. Return the liquid to a simmer, stirring constantly until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the roast and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Slice the meat and serve with the sauce.

8 servings. Each serving: 637 calories; 1,081 mg sodium; 159 mg cholesterol; 38 grams fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 49 grams protein; 1.02 grams fiber.

*

Send requests to Culinary SOS, Food Section, Los Angeles Times, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012 or e-mail to: cindy.dorn@latimes.com. Please include your last name and city of residence for publication. Include restaurant address when requesting recipes from restaurants.