Brined Bone-In Schabowy with Soufflé Crust and Kapusta Zasmażana

Method

1. Lay each chop between two sheets of cling film and pound the meat with a mallet, from the bone outwards, to an even 1 cm thickness; keep the bone attached. Cut through the fat edge every 3 cm so it stays flat.

   Add in this stepBone-in pork loin chops (2 cm thick, about 250 g) 2

2. Make the brine: stir the salt and sugar into the cold water in a container or zip bag until dissolved. Submerge the chops, cover and refrigerate for 1 h (no longer than 4 hours, or the meat turns ham-like). The brine seasons the meat all the way through and keeps it juicy.

   Add in this stepCold water (brine) 500 mlSalt (brine) 15 gSugar (brine) 8 g

3. Meanwhile start the kapusta zasmażana (braised cabbage). Cut the bacon into small strips and fry it in a 26 cm pan over medium heat for 5 min, until crisp and the fat has run out. Add the finely diced onion and cook for 4 min, until soft and lightly golden.

   Add in this stepSmoked bacon 60 gOnion 1

   medium heat

4. Add the thinly shredded cabbage, the salt and the water, cover and braise over medium-low heat for 18 min, stirring now and then, until the cabbage is tender and silky. Uncover, sprinkle over the flour and stir for 2 min until the juices thicken and coat the cabbage. Season with the lemon juice, sugar, pepper and dill and taste: it should be gently sweet-sour. Keep warm.

   Add in this stepCabbage (young or pointed if possible) 400 gSalt (cabbage) ¾ tspWater (cabbage) 70 mlPlain flour (coating and cabbage) 1 tbspLemon juice 2 tspSugar (cabbage) 1 tspBlack pepper 1¼ pinchDill, chopped 2 tbsp

   medium-low heat

5. Take the chops out of the brine, rinse briefly and pat very dry with kitchen paper; season only with pepper, as the brine has salted them. Coat in flour and shake off, dip in the egg beaten with the cream, then lay in the breadcrumbs and scoop crumbs loosely over the top. Do not press: a loose coating is what puffs up into a wavy soufflé crust.

   Add in this stepBlack pepper 1¾ pinchPlain flour (coating and cabbage) 3 tbspEggs 1Double cream 2 tbspFine dry breadcrumbs 70 g

6. Heat the clarified butter and lard together over medium-high heat for about 4 min, to a depth of about 1 cm (pan size · number of batches: 28 cm · 1×). The fat is ready at 170 °C, when a crumb sizzles instantly. Keep the pan and your hands dry.

   Add in this stepClarified butter (ghee) 60 gLard 60 g

   medium-high heat

7. Lay the chops in away from you, then immediately shake the pan gently in small circles so the hot fat washes over the top; the crust lifts away from the meat in waves. Fry over medium heat for 4 min per side, turning once, until deep golden and 63 °C next to the bone. Rest on a rack for 3 min so the juices settle, then serve with the warm cabbage. If the fat smokes, take the pan off the heat; never add water.

   medium heat