Pork Knuckle with Sauerkraut and Pea Mash

Ingredients

• 2 pickled pork knuckles (≈450-500 g each)
• 2 onions
• 80 g carrots
• 80 g leeks
• 2 Bay leaves
• 10 peppercorns
• 6 allspice berries
• 4 juniper berries
• 1 onion
• 40 g pork lard
• 800 g sauerkraut (canned)
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 juniper berries
• 200 ml meat broth
• Salt
• pepper (ground)
• 750 g peas (frozen)
• 250 g waxy potatoes
• 400 ml Vegetable broth
• 1 sprig mint
• 1 sprig basil
• 1 tbsp tahini
• 4 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. 1.

   Rinse the pork knuckles under running water. Fill a large pot with about 3½ liters of water, add the knuckles and bring to a boil. Skim off foam several times and reduce heat. Peel or trim the vegetables, add them with the spices to the pot, and simmer the knuckles gently for about 2½ hours until the meat easily pulls from the bone.

2. 2.

   Meanwhile, peel, halve, and slice the onion. Heat the pork lard in a large pot and lightly brown the onions. Add the sauerkraut, sauté for 5 minutes, then loosen with a fork. Add the spices, pour in the broth, cover, and simmer for about an hour. Season with salt and pepper.

3. 3.

   For the pea mash, thaw the peas. Wash the potatoes and steam them until cooked, about 25 minutes. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil, add the peas, mint, and basil, and let it simmer covered for about 5 minutes. Remove the peas from the broth and puree them with some broth into a smooth paste.

4. 4.

   Peel the potatoes and press through a potato ricer. Mix the pea puree, tahini, and 3 tbsp olive oil together, then gradually add enough vegetable broth to achieve a creamy consistency. Season with salt.

5. 5.

   Remove the cooked pork knuckles from the broth, separate the meat from the bone, slice it, and arrange on top of the sauerkraut. Serve with the pea mash.