Braised Pigs Cheeks With Garlic Cumin Potatoes Recipes

SHERRY BRAISED PORK CHEEKS WITH ROASTED GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

Steps:

• In a large casserole dish, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil until it starts to smoke.
• Roll the pork cheeks in the flour and shake the excess flour off. Fry the cheeks in small batches, until golden brown. It takes about 3 minutes on each side. Drain the pork cheeks on kitchen paper and set aside.
• In the same casserole dish, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil if needed and fry on a medium heat the chopped onions, carrots, celery and bay leaf. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the pan to pull off the caramelisation made when frying the cheeks and fry the chopped vegetables until the mix develops a light golden brown colour. About 8 minutes.
• Return the pork cheeks to the casserole dish, add the sprigs of thyme, season the cheeks with salt and pepper.Pour in the sherry and cook on a high heat for 2 minutes until the sherry has reduced slightly. Pour in the beef stock, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 3 hours.
• Meanwhile, for the mashed potatoes, put the potatoes in a pan of salted water, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, or until tender.
• For the roasted garlic, place the garlic cloves on a baking tray with a small drizzle of olive oil and bake in a pre-heated oven at 190˚C/375˚F/Gas Mark 5 for 15 minutes or until soft. Allow the garlic cloves to cool down. Use the tip of your finger to press the garlic flesh out of its skin, finely chop all the flesh until you have a smooth purée.
• Drain and return the potatoes to the pan over the heat to remove any excess moisture. Mash well, add the butter, olive oil and the chopped roasted garlic and beat to a smooth purée. Season with salt and pepper.
• For the crispy shallots, dip the shallot rings in the milk and roll in the flour until well coated. Heat the oil in a medium size frying pan and fry the shallot rings until golden brown on both sides. About 3 minutes.
• To serve, put a spoonful of the mash potato in a serving bowl, place the pig cheeks on top and spoon over the sauce. Sprinkle with some fried shallot rings.

BRAISED PIGS' CHEEKS WITH GARLIC-CUMIN POTATOES

Steps:

• For the pigs' cheeks, preheat the oven to 150C/130C Fan/Gas 2.
• Heat the oil in an ovenproof casserole over a medium heat. Add the pigs' cheeks and fry for 1-2 minutes on all sides, or until browned all over. Remove from the casserole and set aside.
• Add the onion, carrots and garlic to the casserole and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until light golden-brown.
• Add the cumin, smoked paprika and raisins, stir well and continue to cook for a further 1-2 minutes.
• Pour in the sherry and bring to the boil, scraping up any burned bits from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. Continue to boil until the volume of sherry has reduced by two-thirds.
• Return the pigs' cheeks to the casserole, the pour over the stock and return the mixture to the boil. Transfer the casserole to the oven and cook for 2-2½ hours, or until the pigs' cheeks are tender and the cooking liquid has reduced and thickened to a sauce.
• Meanwhile, for the garlic-cumin potatoes, boil the potato cubes in a pan of salted water for 8-10 minutes, or until tender. Drain well, mash using a potato ricer or masher, then set aside to cool.
• Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cumin and fry until the garlic is pale golden-brown.
• Mix together the mashed potatoes, garlic, cumin and the cooking oil in a bowl until well combined. Stir in the butter, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.
• For the picada, blend all of the picada ingredients to a thick paste in a food processor. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• When the pigs' cheeks are cooked, remove the casserole from the oven and place it on the hob over a medium heat. Stir in the chocolate and the three-quarters of the picada and simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted and the sauce has thickened a little more. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve, divide the pigs' cheeks equally among 4 serving bowls. Spoon the potatoes alongside. Garnish each dish with some of the remaining picada.