French Pork Chops Baked With Cabbage

Bring water and 3 Tbs. salt to a bubbling boil. Boil cabbage for 5 minutes. Drain cabbage thoroughly in sieve or colander.

In a 10-12 inch skillet, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter over moderate heat. When foam subsides, cook the onions and garlic, stirring constantly for 3 or 4 minutes, or until they are soft.

Stir in the cabbage, 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grindings of pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes, or until almost all of the moisture in the pan has evaporated, then set aside.

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Melt 1 Tb. butter with oil over moderate heat. Brown chops for about 3 minutes on each side. Then set them aside.

Pour off almost all fat from skillet, leaving only a thin film on the bottom. Add the wine and boil rapidly until chops are golden brown color and wine has reduced to 1/4 cup. Mix the reduced wine into the cabbage.

Spread about half of the cabbage in the bottom of a heavy flameproof casserole at least 4 inches deep, large enough to hold 6 chops in a single layer, chops on top of cabbage. Another layer of cabbage, more chops, finish with rest of the cabbage.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a small saucepan, scald the cream by heating it over moderate heat until tiny bubbles form around the edge of the pan. Pour the hot cream over cabbage and pork. Then bake in the oven for 1 hour with cover on dish.

Remove cover, sprinkle cabbage with cheese (layer from side to side). Then put crumbs over cheese. Bake casserole for 30 minutes longer or until the top is browned and crusty.

Then serve.