Baeckeoffe

A dish from Alsace. According to the legend, it was put in the baker's still warm oven before going to mass, then picked up in time for lunch. Hence the name.

Family recipe (original)

For 4 servings:

• Enameled or stainless steel oval Dutch oven or tureen (no bare cast iron, doesn't work out with wine)
• 750 ml Riesling from Alsace
• 1 kg medium-starch potatoes
• 2-4 onions depending on size
• 4 bone-on pork chops
• 1l chicken boullion made with bouillon cubes
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 garlic cloves
• dried marjoram
• black pepper

Pre-heat oven to 240°C. Peel potatoes and onions and slice in 5 mm thick slices. In an enameled or stainless steel Dutch oven, stack potatoe and onion slices about 5 cm high. Season with salt and pepper on each layer. Put in pork chops, salt+pepper and continue stacking until you run out of slices. The final layer should be only potatoe slices. Pour over Riesling and fill up with bouillon, but stop 2-3 cm before reaching the top layer. Cover with lid and put in oven. Lower temperature to 160°C and leave it for 2 hours. Check if the potatoes are almost done, if not leave it a little longer. Once ready, slice garlic cloves in pieces or slices and put on top. Sprinkle some dried marjoram over. Spread some butter flakes, this will give the top layer some nice crunch and butter taste. Without the lid, leave it for another 20 minutes, until it has a nice gold-brown color.