A Spanish tapas dish inspired this dish of slow cooked pork cheek. By Liane Arno
WE WERE devastated to learn that our neighbours, John and Amy, were moving. We had loved watching them start a family, and, having no children of our own, became surrogate grandparents to their children. I don’t know who had more fun – us or the kids?
So it was a great sadness when they told us that they had bought the old school house at Buffalo. We filled in the gate that we had put between the two properties to allow easy access between us as who knew who would be the next neighbours. We packed up the toys that we had collected for them under the day bed as we felt sure they wouldn’t be used again. And we helped them move to their dream home.
WE WERE devastated to learn that our neighbours, John and Amy, were moving. We had loved watching them start a family, and, having no children of our own, became surrogate grandparents to their children. I don’t know who had more fun – us or the kids?
So it was a great sadness when they told us that they had bought the old school house at Buffalo. We filled in the gate that we had put between the two properties to allow easy access between us as who knew who would be the next neighbours. We packed up the toys that we had collected for them under the day bed as we felt sure they wouldn’t be used again. And we helped them move to their dream home.
But instead of losing their love and their friendship it has blossomed. We now visit regularly and as there are a few acres we have become part owners of a couple of pigs and calves. John and Amy rear the animals (we provide some feed and moral support) and use Flock, Stock and Basil to process them. So our freezer is now full of various cuts of pork.
You will realise of course that having a whole animal means you get some odd bits that in the normal course of the day you wouldn’t purchase, but – gracious me – that’s what cooking is all about, isn’t it? Experimenting.
Delving into the freezer I found some pork cheeks. We have just returned from a holiday in Spain, where pork cheeks Carrilleras de cerdo al vino are a tapas – so I thought I would give it a try. And it was delicious.
Bear in mind pork cheeks are only about the size of your thumb pad so we are talking about an entrée only.
Prepare the cheek
The cheek muscle was attached to the whole cheek, so I had to cut it out of that and then removed the membrane. (Note: I found that the rest of the cheek was like a huge rasher. Too much fat for me – but Matt loved it after I slow cooked it and then threw it on the BBQ to crisp it up.)
Slow Roast
In a bath of red wine and chicken stock in a 130°C oven for about 5 hours until tender. You can add a bouquet garni to the oven pot if you fancy.
Make the gravy
With the reduced bath of red wine and chicken stock in a pan. Add a tablespoon of dark chocolate and the same of butter and stir in until it is dissolved and is its unctuous best.
Serve
Over mashed potatoes.
You will realise of course that having a whole animal means you get some odd bits that in the normal course of the day you wouldn’t purchase, but – gracious me – that’s what cooking is all about, isn’t it? Experimenting.
Delving into the freezer I found some pork cheeks. We have just returned from a holiday in Spain, where pork cheeks Carrilleras de cerdo al vino are a tapas – so I thought I would give it a try. And it was delicious.
Bear in mind pork cheeks are only about the size of your thumb pad so we are talking about an entrée only.
Prepare the cheek
The cheek muscle was attached to the whole cheek, so I had to cut it out of that and then removed the membrane. (Note: I found that the rest of the cheek was like a huge rasher. Too much fat for me – but Matt loved it after I slow cooked it and then threw it on the BBQ to crisp it up.)
Slow Roast
In a bath of red wine and chicken stock in a 130°C oven for about 5 hours until tender. You can add a bouquet garni to the oven pot if you fancy.
Make the gravy
With the reduced bath of red wine and chicken stock in a pan. Add a tablespoon of dark chocolate and the same of butter and stir in until it is dissolved and is its unctuous best.
Serve
Over mashed potatoes.