Sage cutlets with apricot herb

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 4 pork chops
• 1 head of white cabbage
• 150 g apricot(s), dried
• 2 shallots
• 1 clove(s) garlic, small
• Peppercorns, black
• Sea salt
• Caraway seeds
• nutmeg
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 sage leaves
• Clarified butter
• Goose lard
• butter
• 200 ml broth (veal or chicken)
• 100 ml wine, white, dry
• 200 ml cream

Instructions

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

Clean the white cabbage and cut into thin strips, finely chop the shallots and garlic clove, split the dried apricot halves, and quarter any very large pieces. Heat 3-4 tablespoons of goose fat in a large casserole dish and sauté the shallots, garlic, and apricots. Add the cabbage, a little stock, and simmer for 15 minutes with the lid on and on low heat. Grind coarse sea salt, 1 teaspoon peppercorns, and 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds in a mortar and pestle and add to the vegetables. Grate the nutmeg generously over the cabbage, add the remaining stock and wine, and add the bay leaves. Allow all the liquid to evaporate with the lid off. Stir well to prevent sticking and let cool. You can now freeze as many portions as you don’t want to eat right away. Place a sage leaf on each chop and sear them vigorously on both sides in hot clarified butter. Then season each side with salt and pepper and continue to sear over reduced heat. Return the cabbage to the heat, add cream and a little butter, season to taste, perhaps with a dash of marjoram, and serve the cabbage and chops. This goes well with potato gratin or potatoes cooked in broth. Wine recommendation: a full-bodied, very fruity white wine, such as Gewürztraminer from Alsace, Pinot Blanc from Alsace, or Spätburgunder Weissherbst from Baden. A not-too-strong red wine from the Médoc or a Rioja Crianza is also interesting; if you’re using red wine, avoid potato gratin.