Choucroute Garnie

 

For the bouillon:

7-oz piece of smoked bacon

2 C. cold water

 

For the speedy sauerkraut:

10 juniper berries

6½ T. dry white wine, ideally from Alsace

1⅔ C. cold water

½ C. sugar

2 T. salt

1 C. white wine vinegar

1 lb hard white cabbage, finely shredded

 

1 lb boned pork belly with fat and skin*

salt, for sprinkling

4 frankfurters or other smoked sausages

4 thick slices of smoked bacon

 

TO MAKE THE BOUILLON: Put the smoked bacon in a pot with the water, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. Drain through a very fine sieve. (This can be made in advance and kept in the fridge overnight.) TO MAKE THE SAUERKRAUT: Put the juniper berries into a dry pan and heat. Add the wine and reduce to a couple of tablespoons, then add the water and boil. Add the sugar, salt, and vinegar and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Pour over the cabbage in a plastic container, let cool, then cover and refrigerate for 1–4 hours. (It will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The longer it marinates, the less crunchy it will be, but it will still be delicious.) Preheat the oven to 500°F, or its hottest setting, and line a roasting pan with parchment paper. Pat the skin of the pork dry with paper towels** before sprinkling and rubbing with salt. Roast the pork for 10 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350°F and roast for another hour before adding the sausages and smoked bacon slices. Roast for another 30 minutes, shaking the pan and turning the sausages and bacon halfway. If the pork skin isn’t crisping, turn the heat up to 425°F.  To serve, bring the bouillon to a boil and slice the crispy pork into four portions. Place the pork on individual plates with a slice of bacon, a sausage, and a spoonful of sauerkraut, then pour over a ladle of the hot bouillon. * The skin must be scored. Ask your butcher, or use a very sharp knife. Don’t cut through to the meat.