Potée champenoise is the Champagne one-pot of salted pork belly, smoked ham and sausage simmered with green cabbage, carrots, turnips and potatoes, a slow and generous family dish.
The story of Potée champenoise
The potée, locally called la joute, is described as probably the most popular traditional dish of Champagne: a complete, cheap, slowly simmered meal for family gatherings and large assemblies, built on lean salted pork belly, salted pork, sausage and a thick slice of smoked ham with cabbage, carrots, turnips and firm potatoes. A potée champenoise des vendangeurs was traditionally cooked in very large quantities on grape-picking days, and a Marne member of parliament chose it for a book of MPs' favourite dishes because it feeds thirty and cooks for four hours unwatched.
How to make Potée champenoise
Serves: Serves 6
Ingredients
- 600g lightly salted pork belly
- 400g salted pork shoulder or hock
- 1 thick slice (about 300g) smoked ham
- 4 smoked sausages
- 1 green cabbage, quartered
- 4 carrots and 4 turnips, peeled
- 8 firm potatoes, peeled
- 1 onion stuck with 2 cloves, 1 bouquet garni, peppercorns
Method
- Soak the salted pork in cold water for 2 hours, then put it in a large pot with the ham, onion, bouquet garni and peppercorns; cover with water and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Blanch the cabbage quarters for 5 minutes in boiling water and drain.
- Add the cabbage, carrots and turnips to the pot and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add the potatoes and sausages and cook for 30 minutes more, until the potatoes are tender.
- Slice the meats and serve on a large dish with the vegetables and a little broth.
Editor tip. Drink the strained broth first as a soup with toasted bread, then serve the meat and vegetables, as farm households did.
The editor picks for Potée champenoise in Reims are still in research. Meanwhile, see the Reims signature-dishes index or the Reims food guide.