Roasted Sauerkraut And Bacon - black peppercorns

Method

• Heat oven to 275 degrees.
• Place peppercorns in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
• Toast until they are crisp and give off a nutty aroma.
• Transfer to a mortar and grind to a coarse powder, gradually adding and pounding in juniper berries, rosemary, savory, thyme and fennel seeds.
• Rub bacon well with mixture, shaking off excess.
• Place bacon in a small ovenproof dish.
• Add cider and enough water to come halfway up sides of bacon.
• Cover lightly with foil and bake 3 hours, turning bacon halfway during cooking.
• Check occasionally and add boiling water as necessary to maintain level of liquid in dish.
• Remove dish from oven and cool until warm; bacon should be very tender but intact.
• Place a heavy plate on bacon to weight it as it cools.
• Place dish in refrigerator for 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Drain sauerkraut and place in a ceramic baking dish.
• Break bacon slab into large irregular pieces or cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes, and scatter over kraut.
• Remove 2 tablespoons of solidified fat from bacon dish, and reserve.
• Stir remaining jelled liquid and fat in dish, adding enough water so there is about 1/2 cup in dish.
• Spoon about 1/3 cup over bacon and kraut, cover, and bake for 30 minutes.
• While bacon and kraut bake, prepare potatoes: If potatoes have smooth skins, they need not be peeled.
• Cut in two lengthwise.
• Melt reserved fat in a medium skillet, and add potatoes cut-side down.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Saute over medium heat until browned on bottoms, about 5 minutes.
• Turn and continue to cook for a few minutes, then add remaining braising liquid and remove from heat.
• When kraut has cooked for 30 minutes, remove from oven and push kraut to one side of dish.
• Add potatoes and their liquid to other side, and return to oven until potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve