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Pork Chops Baked With Cabbage
(Cotes de Porc a l'Auvergnate)
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| What You Need: |
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6 quarts water
Salt
3 pounds cabbage, finely chopped (about 12 cups)
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup finely chopped onions
½ teaspoon finely chopped garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
8 center-cut loin pork chops, about ¾ inch thick
3 tablespoons oil
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
1 bay leaf
4 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesancheese mixed with 2 teaspoons fine, dry bread crumbs
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| How To Cook: |
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1. In a soup pot or kettle, bring the water and 3 tablespoons of salt to a bubbling boil. Drop in the cabbage and boil for 5 minutes. Drain the cabbage thoroughly in a sieve or colander. In a 10- to 12-inch skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over moderate heat.
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2. When the foam subsides, cook the onions and garlic, stirring constantly, for 3 or 4 minutes, or until they are soft but not brown. Stir in the cabbage, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grindings of pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until almost all of the moisture in the pan has evaporated. With a rubber spatula, transfer the contents of the skillet to a bowl; set aside.
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3. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels, and season them with salt and afew grindings of black pepper. In the skillet, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter with the oil over moderate heat. When the foam subsides, brown the chops for about 3 minutes on each side, or until they are a rich golden color.
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4. Remove them from the skillet with tongs and set them aside. Pour off almost all the fat from the skillet, leaving only a thin film on the bottom. Add the wine and boil rapidly, stirring frequently and scraping in any brown bits that cling to the bottom and sides of the pan, until the wine is reduced to ¼ cup.
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5. Mix the reduced wine into the cabbage. Spread about 1/3 of the cabbage in the bottom of a heavy flameproof casserole at least 4 inches deep, and large enough to hold 4 chops in a single layer.
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6. Lay 4 chops on top of the cabbage, then add another layer of cabbage, 4 more chops, and finish with the rest of the cabbage. The casserole should be firmly packed. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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7. In a small saucepan, scald the cream by heating it over moderate heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Pour the hot cream into the casserole and place a bay leaf on top of the cabbage.
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8. Bring the casserole to a simmer on top of the stove, then set it into a larger pan to catch any juices that may spill over during cooking, cover it tightly, and bake it on the middle shelf of the oven for 1½ hours.
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9. Remove the cover, discard the bay leaf and check the seasoning. Sprinkle the cabbage with cheese and crumbs. Bake the casserole for 30 minutes longer, or until the top is browned and crusty. Serve directly from the casserole.
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