Pointed cabbage stew with pears

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 750 g pointed cabbage
• 250 g potatoes
• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 pears (cooking pears)
• 125 g bacon, streaky, finely diced
• 125 g cheese (Gouda), medium-aged
• 250 ml chicken broth
• Sea salt
• Pepper (Sechuan pepper)
• 1 pinch of cinnamon
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 juniper berries, crushed
• Caraway seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar
• 50 ml wine, white, fruity
• 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Total time approx. 30 minutes

warming dish for cold days

Peel the potatoes, cut into small cubes, and boil in salted water until tender. Cut the pointed cabbage into strips (diamonds are fine for the eye), finely dice the bacon, onions, and garlic. Add the bacon to the hot pan and fry. Add the butter, let it foam, add the onions and garlic, and let it brown a little. Then add the pointed cabbage and fry for a while. Deglaze with half of the chicken stock, twist the bay leaves, crush the juniper berries, and add them with the cloves. Finely grind the other spices in a mortar. When the stock has reduced, add the remaining stock. Quarter the pear, remove the core, peel, and cut into small cubes. Add the spices, potatoes, pear pieces, and cheese. Wait a moment until the cheese forms fine strings, season with the wine, and serve. Serve with nut bread and freshly salted butter. For the wine: Gewürztraminer. Vegetarians can omit the bacon and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.