Braised sauerkraut
MAKES 8 TO 10 SERVINGS
2 Spanish onions, peeled and thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
3 cloves, toasted and ground
2 teaspoons whole coriander, toasted and ground
10 juniper berries, smashed (see Note)
1 cup white wine
3 pounds fresh sauerkraut, rinsed in cold water and well drained
8 ounces slab bacon, left whole
1 pound fresh garlic sausage (see sidebar)
1 pound piece of shoulder end pork loin
1 pound smoked Polish sausage (kielbasa), cut into 2-inch sections
Sweat the onions and garlic with a little oil until soft in a large non-reactive pot with a secure lid. Add the bay leaf and spices and toast until fragrant. Add the white wine and cook down until reduced by 3/4.
Add the sauerkraut and bacon and bring to a boil, then add the fresh garlic sausage and pork loin. Place a probe thermometer in the pork loin, cover and place the whole pot in a 300-degree oven until the pork loin reads 140 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.
Remove the pork loin and the garlic sausage and add the smoked Polish sausage to the pot. Return to the oven and cook until bacon is tender, about 30 minutes more. (If serving within an hour, turn off the oven and let it sit inside oven to remain hot.)
Place the pork loin, garlic sausage and bacon on a hot grill to get a nice brown color and add crispness to the fat on the pork loin. Let the pork loin rest for at least 15 minutes off the grill. Slice all the meats and serve with the sauerkraut.
Note: Find juniper berries at the Spice House, 1512 N. Wells or 1941 Central, Evanston, or online at www.thespicehouse.com or www.penzeys.com.
Chef Patrick Sheerin,
Signature Room at the 95th
Nutrition facts per serving: 521 calories, 34 g fat, 14 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrates, 34 g protein, 2,352 mg sodium, 6 g fiber
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