3/27/2006 03:59:00 PM|||Jodie Chase|||

If you think sauerkraut is just a hot dog condiment, or an ingredient in a Reuben sandwich, then you don't know Roxanne Chan of Albany or Kurt Wait of Redwood City. These two locals put their culinary skills to work for the Steinfeld's Sauerkraut recipe contest -- and won. Chan, a professional contestant who spends most of her time creating recipes for contests, earned honorable mention for a Thai-inspired soup that can be made in minutes. Wait stirred some of the sour stuff into scones, coming up with a first place in the bread category for his Garden Cheddar and Poppy Seed Scones.

Wait, who has a full-time job in the phone business, says the sauerkraut contest is his first cooking contest win in a few years.

``I got started entering cooking contests years ago when my friend convinced me to enter the Gilroy Garlic Festival contest,'' he says. Wait entered and won and has been entering occasional contests ever since. ``I have entered more than 20 but fewer than 1,000,'' he says. ``I only enter the ones where I like the prize.''

This contest paid $1,000 cash and 26 jars of sauerkraut, a very welcome prize. Even better, the recipe was easy to create. ``It just made sense. I had the scone idea and it only took two tries to get it right,'' he says. ``It's a savory scone, so you can see and taste the sauerkraut and it works really well with the cheese.''

He thinks the reason it won is that the sauerkraut adds moisture to the scone, keeping it from being too dry. Even though the recipe worked, Wait was still surprised it won a prize.

``I am always surprised when I win. I always hope, but it surprises me every time.''

Garden Cheddar and Poppy Seed Scones
Recipe by Kurt Wait, Redwood City.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons poppy seeds (or to taste)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons lightly salted butter
1 egg
1 cup Steinfeld's sauerkraut, drained, squeezed dry and chopped
1 cup medium sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease large baking sheet.

In large bowl, stir together flour, poppy seeds, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cut in butter, using pastry blender or two knives, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a small bowl, stir together egg, sauerkraut, cheese, sour cream and onion. Add to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

Transfer dough to lightly floured work surface. Pat into an eight by eight-inch square. Cut dough into four 4-inch squares. Cut each piece diagonally in half to make 8 triangles. Place scones 1-inch apart on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.
Serves 8.

Per Serving: 318 Calories; 20g Fat; 9g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 71mg Cholesterol; 664mg Sodium.

Thai-Style Sauerkraut Soup
Recipe from Roxanne Chan, Albany.

1 16-ounce jar Steinfeld's Wine Kraut, drained and chopped
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1 green onion, minced
2 tablespoons snipped mint
1 teaspoon green curry paste
1 13.5-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1 14.5-ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup peeled cucumber, diced small
Lime zest to garnish

In blender container, place Wine Kraut, 1 mango, onion, mint, curry paste, coconut milk and chicken broth. Blend until smooth. Pour into a serving bowl. Stir in diced cucumber and second mango. Chill until cold. Serve garnished with lime zest.
Serves 4.

Nutrition could not be accurately calculated.

--Jolene Thym

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