When someone mentions Sauerkraut, I immediately think of European cooking, especially German or Polish. Sauerkraut is a sour cabbage. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid that forms when the bacteria ferment the sugars in the cabbage. It is therefore not to be confused with coleslaw, which receives its acidic taste from vinegar. Another type of fermentation used on cabbage I can relate to is the Korean Kimchi and the Chinese Pickled Cabbage (kiam chai).
Overall I like this dish. Probably because I like sauerkraut and it is also a simple and a one-pot meal which packed with great flavor. A recipe from The German Cookbook by Mimi Sheraton.
PORK CHOPS AND SAUERKRAUT/ SCHWEINEKOTELETTE UND SAUERKRAUT (2 to 4 servings)
4 pork chops, about 1″ thick
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp lard, butter or margarine
1 medium-sized onion, diced
2 medium-sized green apples, pared and diced
1 lb fresh or canned sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
1 lb potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick
1 cup hot meat stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
COOKING METHOD:
1. Sprinkle pork chops all over with salt and pepper. Heat fat in a casserole and brown pork chops slowly on both sides. Remove chops and add diced onions and apples to hot fat. Saute slowly until onions are soft and slightly yellow and apples have begun to take on color
2. Remove apple and onion mixture and reserve. Saute drained sauerkraut in fat 5 or 10 minutes, then remove from pot. Put a layer of kraut on bottom of casserole, then a layer of apple-onion mixture, all the potatoes, then another of kraut, apples and onions and finally chop
3. Pour hot stock over this and wine. Cover tightly and bake in 375 F preheated oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the pork chops are tender
