Alsatian Choucroute Garnie

Rinse the sauerkraut thoroughly under cold running water for 2–3 minutes. Squeeze it firmly in handfuls until as dry as possible, then set aside. Crush the juniper berries with the flat of a knife, slice the onion, mince the garlic, and measure out all the spices.

Wrap the juniper berries, caraway seeds, cloves, bay leaves, peppercorns and bouquet garni in a small square of muslin and tie tightly to form a spice sachet.

Melt the goose fat in a large, heavy-lidded casserole (at least 6 litres) over medium heat. Add the lardons and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until lightly golden and the fat has rendered.

Add the sliced onion to the casserole and cook over medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, stirring often, until completely soft and just beginning to turn pale gold.

Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant but not coloured.

Add the dried sauerkraut to the casserole and stir well to coat it in the fat. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, turning frequently, until the sauerkraut has absorbed the fat and smells faintly nutty.

Pour in the Riesling and Pinot Blanc, then add the chicken stock. Nestle the spice sachet into the centre. Season lightly with salt — the meats will add more — and bring to a bare simmer over medium heat.

Nestle the smoked pork belly into the sauerkraut, partially submerging it. Cover tightly with the lid, reduce the heat to very low, and braise for 60 minutes.

Meanwhile, pat the pork loin chops dry and season all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the neutral oil in a wide frying pan over high heat until shimmering. Sear the chops for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden.

After the first 60 minutes of braising, nestle the seared pork chops and Montbéliard sausages into the sauerkraut. Replace the lid and continue braising over very low heat for a further 45 minutes — use a meat thermometer to confirm the pork chops and the smoked pork belly both reach an internal temperature of 63°C before continuing.

Meanwhile, place the potatoes in a saucepan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.

Simmer the potatoes for 15–18 minutes until completely tender when pierced with a knife. Drain and keep warm.

Add the Frankfurter sausages to the casserole by pressing them into the sauerkraut. Replace the lid and cook for a final 10 minutes until heated through.

Remove and discard the spice sachet. Taste the sauerkraut and adjust the seasoning. Lift all the meats and sausages onto a warm board and slice the smoked pork belly into thick portions.

To serve, mound the sauerkraut generously in the centre of each warmed plate or a large serving platter. Arrange the pork belly, pork chop, Montbéliard sausage and Frankfurter around and over the top, add the boiled potatoes to each plate, and serve immediately with Dijon mustard alongside.