Jean-Georges Vongerichten is no stranger to sauerkraut. The chef grew up in Alsace — “the sauerkraut capital of the world,” he says. “In the winter, we had it once a week.” But his mother’s choucroute garnie, the classic preparation cooked with goose fat and garnished with smoked and fresh pork, is a far cry from what he’s serving at his new vegetarian restaurant, abcV.
Even as awareness grows about the connection between fermented foods and a healthy gut, sauerkraut’s journey from Sabrett hot-dog cart to star chef’s menu is nothing short of groundbreaking. The recipe, developed by chef de cuisine Neal Harden, replaces round white cabbage with its frilly Savoy cousin, which he dresses with olive oil, fresh horseradish, and dill. Vongerichten suggests sharing an order for the table, though he has his own routine: “I eat it with eggs for breakfast.”
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On the menu at abcV, $10; 38 E. 19th St., nr. Park Ave. S.; 212-475-5829
*This article appears in the April 17, 2017, issue of New York Magazine.
