Berliner pork knuckle on sauerkraut with pea puree

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 pork knuckles, cured, 800 – 1200 g each
• 3 onions
• 2 bay leaves
• 20 peppercorns
• 10 allspice berries
• 1 bunch of soup vegetables
• 1,000 g sauerkraut
• 2 onions
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 juniper berries
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar (to taste)
• 1 tbsp lard or butter
• 125 ml white wine, semi-dry
• 300 g peas, green, frozen
• 2 onions
• 1 tbsp lard
• 1 pinch of salt
• pepper
• 75 g ham, diced

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

Cook the pork knuckles the day before so the fat is better removed and the sauce won’t be as rich. Peel the onions and slice three of them into wedges. Clean and roughly chop the soup vegetables, place them in a pot with the cleaned pork knuckles, the onion wedges, the bay leaf, and the peppercorns and allspice. Fill with water until the pork knuckles are covered, and bring to a boil. Skim skim frequently and let simmer for about 60-120 minutes, depending on the size. The cooking water should just simmer, not boil. I taste the stock every now and then, and if it’s too mild for my liking, I add a little more granulated stock (everyone to their own taste). Dice 2 onions for the sauerkraut. Heat the fat in a pot and sauté the onions until translucent. Tear apart the sauerkraut and add it to the onions, deglaze with white wine, let it reduce slightly, and then add a little pork knuckle stock. Season the sauerkraut with bay leaves, juniper berries, and sugar, and simmer gently until tender. It should still have some bite and be relatively dry. Cook the peas with a little pork knuckle broth, press through a sieve or puree with a hand blender, return to the pot, and simmer until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Halve the remaining onions and thinly slice them. Fry in the lard until golden brown and crispy. Repeat with the ham cubes. Arrange the sauerkraut on plates, place a pork knuckle on each plate, arrange the pea puree next to it, and top with the fried onions and ham cubes.