Tag Archives: sauerkraut

Sausage and Sauerkraut Skillet Dinner

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Combining sausage and sauerkraut is a natural. Just ask anyone you know who is of German descent. The dish long has been a favorite of other Northern Europeans as well. The combination is especially tasty when the ingredients are homemade.

I’ve been making my own sausage (from deer or elk) for the past half-dozen or so  years, and my good friend, Darrel Koehler, is an expert at making sauerkraut. So, whenever I combine the two, it’s a meal that is hard to beat.

Last night, instead of my usual way of baking the pair in a Dutch oven, I made a skillet dinner. To add a little spice to it, I added some homemade mustard, which was made with Hungarian wax peppers, and brown sugar.

The result was all that I expected, especially when combined with mashed potatoes, whole-kernel corn and some homemade pickled beets.

Here’s the recipe. You can substitute store-bought sausage and sauerkraut. And I think a type of honey mustad (hot, sweet or both) would work fine, too.

Sausage and Sauerkraut Skillet Dinner
5 tablespoons butter or pork fat
1 small onion, finely diced
1-pound ring smoked or Polish sausage
1 15-ounce can sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons spicy honey mustard
Place sausage in a cast-iron frying pan with about 1 inch of water. Simmer over medium heat until water evaporates.
Add butter and/or pork fat along with onion. Melt butter and then saute onions and sausage for 2 to 3 minutes.
Add sauerkraut, brown sugar and mustard along with ½ cup water. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Brown sausage on both sides and serve immediately or cover and simmer over low heat until dinnertime.
Yield: Serves 4.
Note: Serve sausage and sauerkraut with mashed or boiled potatoes and whole-kernel corn.

Pork Chops with Sauerkraut and Potatoes

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The combination of pork and sauerkraut is a tradition among many cultures. It’s most associated with the Germanic, Polish and Slavic populace of Eastern Europe. That’s one reason why it is very popular in our region of northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The pairing is one my favorites, too.

I was introduced to the combo at an early age. My mom every once in a while would cook baby back ribs and sauerkraut together in a big roaster and serve them with mashed potatoes. To this day, we still have that on Christmas Eve.

The pair is going to be starring in a meal in our home soon. We recently purchased a half-pig from a co-worker’s cousin, and my friend, Darrel Koehler, has a couple of crocks of homemade sauerkraut fermenting in his basement, which he will be sharing with us.

One of the first meals I’m planning will be the following skillet dish in which pork chops, sauerkraut and potatoes are cooked together, seasoned only with salt, pepper and some parsley flakes.

Pork Chops with Sauerkraut and Potatoes
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
4 bone-in pork loin chops, thin cut (about 1 pound)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 pound small red potatoes, cut into ¼-inch wedges
1 1-pound can sauerkraut, drained
1 teaspoon parsley flakes
In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Sprinkle pork with ½ teaspoon of the salt and the pepper; cook pork in oil 5 to 8 minutes, turning once, until brown. Remove pork from skillet; cover to keep warm.
In same skillet, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Sprinkle potatoes with remaining ½ teaspoon salt; cook potatoes in oil 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until just starting to brown. Add pork. Stir in sauerkraut and parsley.
Cover; cook 7 to 10 minutes or until pork is no longer pink in center and potatoes are tender. Serve pork over sauerkraut.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 340 calories, 16 grams fat (4 grams saturated, no trans), 70 milligrams cholesterol, 1,300 milligrams sodium, 24 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams dietary fiber, 1 gram sugars, 27 grams protein.

Sausage Reuben Casserole

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There are several things that separate good cooks from mediocre ones. For one thing, good cooks have an appropriate knowledge and use of spices (including salt). Another is that they don’t substitute just any old thing for an ingredient they may not have on hand.

For me, there is another characteristic of a good cook that tips the scale. A good cook is one who can make a tasty dish out of what they have in the kitchen cupboard, pantry, refrigerator or freezer.

The meal we’re having for supper tonight falls into the third category. I put together a casserole with items from all four of the above-mentioned places where food is stored.

From the freezer, I pulled out a ring of sausage. The pantry shelf yielded a quart of homemade sauerkraut and some cream of mushroom soup. In the cupboard, I discovered a package of egg noodles. And in the refrigerator, there was some Swiss cheese, mustard, milk, butter and onion.

Along with some rye that I picked up at the supermarket earlier in the day, those ingredients came together for a casserole, which would great for a potluck and that some might say resembles a Reuben, sans the pastrami or corned beef and Thousand Island dressing.

Sausage Reuben Casserole
1 8-ounce package egg noodles
2 13-ounce cans sauerkraut, drained
2 10¾-ounce cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
1 1/3 cups milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1½ pounds Polish sausage or kielbasa, halved and cut into ½-inch slices
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese
½ cup soft rye bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Spread sauerkraut in a greased shallow 4-quart baking dish. Top with noodles. In a large bowl, combine the soup, milk, onion and mustard; pour over the noodles. Top with sausage; sprinkle with cheese.
Combine bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over the top. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.
Yield: Serves 12.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving (1 cup): 341 calories, 21 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 72 milligrams cholesterol, 827 milligrams sodium, 22 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 14 grams protein.

Reuben Burger

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A hot dog or Polish sausage with sauerkraut is a natural combination, and with a good mustard, is awfully hard to beat. Some people will say that sauerkraut with anything is to die for.

I’m one of those people. A favorite dish of mine is baby back pork ribs cooked in sauerkraut. And served with potatoes (I prefer mashed, although boiled are pretty good, too), it’s a meal made in heaven.

So, when I saw something called a Reuben burger on the new Whitey’s menu Friday, it didn’t take long to make up my mind about what to order. The burger, which probably was a quarter- to a half-pounder, was topped with shredded pastrami, a slice of Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and, of course, sauerkraut. A couple of pickle slices were served on the side.

I would rate the burger a strong 8 or 9 on a scale of 10. I so satisfied that a Web quest was begun to find a recipe for a Reuben burger that could be made at home. Here’s what I caught my fancy, and maybe will yours.

Reuben Burger
1 cup deli-sliced pastrami, finely chopped
1 teaspoon canola or vegetable oil
1 pound  extra-lean ground beef
1 cup sauerkraut, drained, rinsed, squeezed dry and finely chopped
1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
4 hamburger buns
¼ cup sauerkraut, divided
4 slices Swiss cheese
Heat oil in medium skillet over high heat. Add pastrami and cook, stirring, until slightly crispy, about 4 minutes. Remove from skillet and cool. Meanwhile, combine ground beef and 1 cup sauerkraut. Add cooled pastrami, salt and pepper and mix well. Divide into 4 patties. Preheat barbeque grill to high.
Lightly brush one side of each patty with oil. Place oiled side down on hot grill and then oil top side. Cook, 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until an internal temperature of 160 degrees is reached. Meanwhile, toast buns on grill.
Spread tops and bottoms with Thousand Island Dressing. Place cooked patties on bottom buns, top with additional sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Return to barbeque and cook on low heat, until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
Top with toppings, bun tops.
Yield: Serves 4.

Super Meal for Super Bowl

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The regular season of the National Football League has come to an end, and teams are lined up for the playoffs that lead up to the Super Bowl. That means the plans for parties on the big game day already are circulating. And at the top of most is the menu.

Here is an interesting recipe for the chefs at The Culinary Institute of America. It’s called Choucroute Garni. It might sound complicated, but don’t let the fancy French name scare you away from trying something deliciously different on Super Bowl Sunday.

This German-inspired dish was born along the country’s border with France. Garni refers to the variety of garnishes that are served alongside the dish. Consisting of any combination of pickled cabbage and meat, the feast typically features a variety of sausages, including Frankfurt sausage, which served as the predecessor to the modern-day frankfurter. Boiled potatoes are the starch of choice, and the dish is seasoned with black pepper, cloves, and juniper berries, along with onions and white wine to sweeten the deal and brighten the flavors.

To watch CIA’s Chef-Instructor Cynthia Keller ’83 demonstrate how to prepare Choucroute Garni, go to  www.ciachef.edu/ChoucrouteGarni.

Choucroute Garni
5 pounds sauerkraut
1 clove garlic
8 juniper berries
2 cloves
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
8 to 12 black peppercorns
1 carrot
1 leek
2 branches of celery
1 parsnip
4 ounces vegetable oil
2 medium-sliced onions (approximately 2 cups)
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 cup dry white wine
3 cups chicken stock
1 smoked ham hock
2 pounds smoked pork loin
1-pound, 4-ounce- slab of bacon, cut into thick slices
4 pounds waxy potatoes, peeled
1-pound, 4-ounce garlic sausage
10 beef frankfurters
10 weisswurst (veal and pork sausage)
Drain the sauerkraut and rinse well in several changes of cold water. Drain and squeeze out water.
Place the garlic clove and spices in a small square of cheesecloth and tie with butcher’s twine to create a spice sachet bag. Tie the carrot, leek, celery, and parsnip with butcher’s twine to create a bouquet garni.
Heat half the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat until tender without browning. Add the garlic and sweat briefly to release aroma. Add the sauerkraut to the onion mixture.
Add the wine and chicken stock. Bury the spice sachet, vegetable bouquet, and ham hock under the sauerkraut. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Place the pork and the bacon on top of the sauerkraut. Cover tightly and braise in a 325-degree oven for approximately 45 minutes. Add the potatoes, garlic sausage and frankfurters to the pan, return the cover and continue to cook approximately 15 to 20 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the frankfurters are heated through. Add more liquid if needed.
While the potatoes and frankfurters are cooking, place a saute pan on medium heat. Add the remaining oil. Place the weisswurst in the pan and gently brown on all sides while heating the sausage through.
Remove the meats from the sauerkraut and keep warm. Slice the pork loin and garlic sausage.
Spoon the sauerkraut onto a warm platter and garnish with sliced pork loin, garlic sausage, sliced bacon, frankfurters, weisswurst, and potatoes.
Serve with mustard and a loaf of crusty French bread. Accompany with a dry Riesling wine from Alsace or your favorite artisan-brewed beer.
Yield: Serves 10.
Approximate nutritional analysis per 6-ounce serving: 270 calories, 12 grams protein, 5 grams carbohydrates, 21grams fat, 1,050 milligrams sodium, 50 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams fiber.

Slow-Cooker Pork Chops

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One of the late radio TV personality Art Linkletter’s favorite quotes was, “Kids say the darnest things.” In fact, that was the name of a segment of his popular “House Party” show, which ran in the afternoons on CBS in the 1950s and ’60s.

I was reminded of that the other day when a friend of mine, Pete Hougum of Grand Forks, shared a recipe and an anecdote with me.

Pete, who exercises at the gym where I work out, told me about a slow-cooker dish he prepared that contained pork, potatoes, chops, sauerkraut and apples. The recipes sounded pretty good to me, and I shared with Pete that three of the ingredients would be the topic of a “Terrific Trio” column in an upcoming Herald Food page column.

Pete said he was baby-sitting his 3-year-old grandson the day he combined the pork, sauerkraut and apples. His grandson, Landon, was going around the kitchen sniffing and said, “I smell poop.” Of course, that made me laugh aloud, and it reminded me of the kids’ feature on “House Party.”

The next day, Pete said he was digging carrots in his garden and that his grandson’s eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the vegetables coming out of the ground. When Pete asked Landon  where he thought the carrots came from, it elicited another quote worthy of the Linkletter show — “The puppies did it.”

After Pete told me about the aforementioned recipe, I decided that it would worth trying, since we had three pork chops in the freezer that needed to be used. Plus, I really like sauerkraut, potatoes and apples.

I’ve made a few additions to recipe — a can of cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup, a little fresh cabbage, some sauerkraut and a small onion.
Slow-Cooker Pork Chops
4 center-cut pork chops, fat removed
1 small onion, diced
1 10¾-ounce can cream of mushroom with roasted garlic soup
1 cup chopped cabbage
1 quart sauerkraut
4 small potatoes
3 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Place all of the ingredients in slow cooker and cook on high for 4 to 5 hours or until meat and potatoes are fork-tender.
Yield: Serves 4.

German Cuban Pork Burger

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Have you ever heard of a grilled burger that’s topped with sauerkraut? Or how about one that features a mound of sliced bratwurst?

I’d never seen a recipe like that until a story came my way from Noelle Carter of the Los Angeles Times. The Times Test Kitchen manager challenged readers to submit their favorite recipes for the newspaper’s first Battle of the Burgers. Almost 90 recipes were submitted from all over the country, with readers across the nation voting to choose their favorites.

After the voting, the list was narrowed to 20 burgers, which were judged by Food section editors and staff at the Times. They came up with five favorites, including the following, which I found most interesting, especially since it contained the abovementioned sauerkraut and bratwurst.

German Cuban Pork Burger
4 pounds ground pork
3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 12-ounce jar spicy brown mustard, divided
6 fresh bratwurst links
1 pound bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 14-ounce can sauerkraut, drained
1 cup butter, at room temperature
6 pretzel buns or regular hamburger buns, halved
2 large sliced dill pickles
½ pound sliced Swiss cheese
In a large bowl, mix together the ground pork, relish and a tablespoon of mustard. (The relish keeps the pork moist.) Do not overwork, but mix until ingredients are evenly combined. Divide the meat into 6 portions and form the burgers, matching the size to the buns.
Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat until hot. Place the burgers, then the bratwurst links, on the grill to start cooking.
While the burgers and links are grilling, start the bacon. In a skillet heated over medium-high heat until hot (use a cast iron skillet if cooking on the grill), render the bacon, stirring frequently, about 6 minutes. Add chopped onion to the skillet and cook until the onion is softened, stirring frequently, 6 to 8 minutes.
Stir in the sauerkraut with the bacon and onions, cooking down the mixture to marry the flavors. Continue to cook until the hamburgers and sausages are grilled on all sides, an additional 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the burgers, sausages and skillet from the heat, setting all aside to keep them warm. Cut the bratwurst into thin crosswise slices.
In a small bowl, whisk together the butter and remaining mustard; this makes about 2 cups spread, slightly more than is needed for the remainder of the recipe. The mustard butter will keep for 1 to 2 weeks, covered and refrigerated.
Spread or brush the mustard butter over the cut halves of each bun (about 2 tablespoons per half, depending on the size of the bun). Toast the buns on the cooler side of the grill or on the grill pan.
Assemble the burgers: Mound the sliced bratwurst on top of each burger (1 bratwurst per burger), then top with the sliced pickle, kraut, bacon and onion mixture. Divide the sliced Swiss cheese among the burgers, covering each mound of toppings with cheese. Place the burgers back on the grill or on the grill pan, closing the grill or covering the pan with a large roasting pan until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes. (You can also melt the cheese by placing the burgers on a baking sheet in a hot oven.)
Place the assembled burgers in the toasted buns and serve immediately.
Yield: Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis per burger: 1,773 calories, 88 grams protein, 35 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 136 grams fat (58 grams saturated),; 406 milligrams cholesterol, 7 grams sugar, 3,012 milligrams sodium.

Reuben Sandwich Casserole

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A lot of people are familiar with Reuben sandwiches. For those of you who aren’t, they’re the ones that are made with sauerkraut, corned beef (sometimes pastrami), Swiss cheese, Thousand Island dressing and rye bread.

I’ve had my share of restaurant Reubens over the years,  but my preference always has been the homemade variety.

Just the other night for supper, Therese fixed a variation of the old standby. She called it a Reuben sandwich casserole. She got the recipe from a co-worker of hers, Mary Sphlical. Basically, it’s a Reuben sandwich that is baked in the oven like a casserole.

Following is a recipe for the casserole, although I’m not sure if it’s exactly the same as the one we used. This one was printed in the Lifestyle section of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette back in 2002.

A couple of things cooks will like about the recipe are how the melted Swiss cheese helps the bread cubes stick in place and the sauerkraut on the bottom layer ensures that servings are easy to get out of the casserole dish.

Also, find a recipe for a slimmed-down version of the Reuben that was featured in the Kansas City Star in 2007.

Reuben Sandwich Casserole
1 32-ounce bag sauerkraut, well-drained
1 pound deli-style corned beef, chipped
8-ounce bottle Thousand Island dressing
1 pound sliced or cubed Swiss cheese
12 slices rye bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
4 tablespoons butter, melted
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place a layer of sauerkraut on the bottom of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch casserole. Top with a layer of corned beef. Pour the dressing evenly over the beef. Sprinkle on the cheese to cover.
In a large bowl, toss the bread cubes with the melted butter to coat, then press the bread cubes gently onto the cheese layer. As the cheese melts, it will help the crispy bread cubes adhere.
Bake uncovered for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut into portions.
Yield: Serves 6 to 8.

Slimmed-Down Reuben Sandwich
2 slices EarthGrains Pumpernickel Rye bread
2 tablespoons of homemade Thousand Island dressing (recipe follows)
4 slices Sara Lee Corned Beef
¼ cup well-drained sauerkraut
2 Kraft Swiss 2 percent Milk Singles
Cooking spray
Heat a griddle to 350 degrees. Spread 1 tablespoon of dressing on 1 slice of bread, then layer on the corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese. Spread the remaining dressing on the other slice of bread and put the sandwich together.
Spray the griddle lightly with cooking spray and cook the sandwich for 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the bread is browned and crisped.
Serve immediately.
Yield: 1 sandwich.
Approximate nutritional analysis per sandwich: 415 calories, 12.3 grams fat, 39 grams carbohydrates, 2,164 milligrams sodium, 4.1 grams fiber.

Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
1 cup light mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup chili sauce
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
1/8 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients in a bowl, then refrigerate the dressing in a sealed container for 24 hours before serving to allow the flavors to blend.
Yield: Makes about 1¾ cup dressing.
Approximate nutritional analysis per 2-tablespoon serving: 75 calories, 3.3 grams fat grams, 2 grams carbohydrates, 114 milligrams sodium, 0.1 grams fiber.

A Classic Combo: Cabbage and Sausage

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One of my favorite things to eat is any kind of sausage and sauerkraut. For example, I find it hard to resist a brat with sauerkraut when it’s available at a sporting event or summer picnic. Occasionally, I’ll have throw a ring of elk sausage in my Rival Crock-Pot with some homemade sauerkraut.

I really like that combination of sausage and cabbage. I think it’s one of the classics. Maybe that because of my northern European heritage. But maybe not. I know a lot of people who share my fondness for the two.

Recently, in one of my Chef Jeff One Byte at a Time items in the daily Herald, I featured a hearty cabbage skillet supper recipe that also contained sausage. As is the case with some of the recipes in the column, I hadn’t tried it yet but had hoped to sooner rather than later.

A couple of days after it was in the Herald, a women who exerices at my gym, Shirley Kieffer, told me she fixed the recipe and really liked it. That sealed the deal. I had to make the dish soon.

And when I did, we weren’t disappointed. Therese said it reminded her of a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe she used to make. The only changes I made to the following recipe were to slice my sausage into thin pieces and sprinkle a bit of balsamic vinegar over the dish when it was served. We also had some toasted sourdough bread on the side to sop up some of the tasty juices.

If you’re a fan of sausage and cabbage, you have to try this recipe. If you’re not, I’ll guarantee you will be after sampling it. And it’s a perfect dish to kick the winter blahs.

Hearty Cabbage Skillet Supper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 16-ounce package coleslaw or 6 cups finely shredded cabbage
¼ to ½ cup chicken broth
1 apple, peeled, diced
4 precooked sausages
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add onions. Cook, stirring often, until onion softens. Add cabbage, ¼ cup of broth and apple. Cover; reduce heat to low. Simmer 5 minutes. Stir in caraway seeds, salt and pepper to taste. Arrange cooked sausages over cabbage. Add more of broth if needed. Cover; cook 5 minutes. Uncover; cook until broth is reduced, about 2 minutes; do not let veggies burn.
Yield: Serves 4.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 241 calories, 50 percent of calories from fat, 14 grams fat, 45 milligrams cholesterol, 17 grams carbohydrates, 15 grams protein, 407 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.
 

 

Cabbage and Potatoes — the Perfect Pairing

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Cabbage is one of those vegetables that pairs well with a lot of foods. I love to use it soups and boiled dinners, steamed and served with a little ham or in a coleslaw, either alone or with some shredded carrots.

And I can’t forget to mention sauerkraut, one of my favorite foods. Sauerkraut is great with brats or hot dogs and are especially tasty with baby back pork ribs.

It when eating a meal of ribs and sauerkraut that I first thought about steaming and then frying cabbage and mixing it with mashed potatoes. I imagined this after dipping my kraut into a pile of mashed spuds on my plate and savoring the tasty combo.

Of course, some people of Irish descent will say they already have a dish like this. It’s called colcannon. And I’ll agree, there are similarities. But the way I fix it is a little different.

I first like to steam a head of cabbage,which has been quartered, and then put it in a cast-iron frying pan with a sliced onion, a little olive oil and butter. Sometimes, I’ll add a little diced bacon. While frying the cabbage, I cook the potatoes. I usually wait to mix the two when they are on my plate. Sometime, I’ll combine them in a bowl.

The following recipe a whiskey-braised pork is along those lines. It can be served with a cabbage-potato combo, which puts it high on my list of things to try.

Whiskey-Braised Pork with Cabbage and Potatoes
1 3- to 4-pound pork shoulder, boned, tied
2 teaspoons salt
1½ teaspoons freshly ground pepper plus more to taste
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 each, chopped: yellow onion, carrot
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon dry mustard
1¼ cups whiskey
2 quarts chicken broth
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ pounds potatoes, cooked, peeled
¾ cup whipping cream
1 stick (½ cup) butter
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 small cabbage, very thinly sliced
2 leeks, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
10 sprigs parsley, chopped
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Season the pork with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add meat; brown on all sides, about 10 minutes. Remove meat to plate. Add onion and carrot to the Dutch oven. Cook until vegetables are lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes. Add thyme, garlic, bay leaf and dry mustard; cook 1 minute. Add whiskey; cook, stirring up browned bits, until liquid reduces by half, about 5 minutes. Stir in broth, brown sugar, nutmeg and black pepper to taste. Add meat; cover. Roast until the meat is tender, about 3 hours.
Meanwhile, mash potatoes in a large bowl. Mix in the cream and half of the butter. Season with pepper and salt; set aside. Melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add cabbage, leeks and onion. Cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 8 minutes. Fold vegetables into potatoes; stir in the chopped parsley. Keep warm.
Remove braised pork from oven; cool 10 minutes. Transfer meat to cutting board. Strain liquid into a fat separator (or skim off fat); return liquid to pan. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by three-quarters, about 15 to 20 minutes; set aside. Cut pork shoulder into thick slices. Spoon potato-cabbage mixture onto dinner plates. Place pork slices on it; spoon reduced juices around the plate.
Yield: Serves 6.
Approximate nutritional analysis per serving: 898 calories, 55 percent of calories from fat, 54 grams fat (24 grams saturated), 228 milligrams cholesterol, 37 grams carbohydrates, 62 grams protein, 2,161 milligrams sodium, 5 grams fiber.