Funny thing no ribs only pork chops. Why the name I don’t know. Not only that, but shepherds don’t have access to pork and how would you cook this in a cauldron anyway? Maybe the meat used to be lamb. Maybe the chef’s name was Pásztor. The rib part… who knows? The dish is a half attempt ragout, perhaps from Italian influence? The nutmeg could be French or Asian. Could be Hungarian or could be not. All I know is the cookbook it comes from is Hungarian.
This the perfect dish to make ahead. Be sure not to serve it right of way. Assemble it, bake it, remove it from the oven and then let it rest for 4 hours. [Or place it in the fridge for the night.] After that reheat and serve it. By that time the flavours will merge and develop. But it's worth the wait.
SHEPHERD’S RIB
4 pork chops without the bones8 medium red potatoes
1/4 cup oil
1 knob of butter
1 cup full fat sour cream
2 tomatoes
4-6 Havarti cheese slices
1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 nutmeg, grated
• Cook the red potatoes in their jackets.
• While the potatoes cook, prepare the pork chops.
• With a meat tenderizer pound the pork chops very thin.
• Cut off the fatty bits.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick fry pan and add the pork chops.
• Fry the chops on both sides but don’t pierce them. Turn them over with a pair of kitchen thongs.
• Place the chops on a plate and season it with salt and pepper.
• When the potatoes are cooked, pour off the water and let them cool a bit.
• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Peel and slice the potatoes.
• Butter a large casserole dish with the butter.
• Arrange the potato slices on the bottom.
• Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.
• Spread the sour cream on the top.
• Lay the pork chops on the top.
• Slice the tomatoes and arrange them over the meat layer.
• Season the tomatoes with salt and pepper.
• Cover the entire dish with slices of Havarti cheese.
• Sprinkle Swiss cheese on the top.
• Grate half a nutmeg over the top.
• Place the cover over the casserole dish or wrap it well with aluminum foil.
• Bake the casserole at 350F for 40-50 minutes.
• Uncover casserole and bake for another 10 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for four hours. If you put it in the fridge for the night, put the cover back on the casserole.
• Heat the dish through in a 350F oven and serve.
