Braised pork cheeks
Pork cheeks are a cheap meal and with a little bit of love (and quite a long time on the fire) they are a great hearty meal. Michael Diacono cooks them with mushrooms in wine and sherry.
Rachel Zammit Cutajar
Braised pork cheeks
Ingredients
- 1 leek, chopped
- Butter
- Olive oil
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 celery stick
- Salt and pepper
- 300g pork cheeks
- 100g oyster mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- A few sprigs thyme
- 1 glass sherry
- A few leaves sage
- 2 glasses red wine
Method
1.Soak the porcini in boiling water for 10 mins and set aside reserving the liquid.
2.Gently fry the leek in butter and olive oil with the carrot and celery until tender.
3.Season with salt and pepper.
4.Add the pork cheeks and the mushrooms.
5.Add the bay leaves and the whole sprigs of thyme and keep frying until the pork cheeks have been browned on all sides.
6.Add the sherry and allow the alcohol to evaporate.
7.Add the sage and the porcini and allow to simmer.
8.Add the red wine and the water from the porcini, season with salt and pepper.
9.Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for at least an hour.
10.Top with parsley and serve the pork cheeks with mashed potato or polenta.
This recipe first appeared on Gourmet Today TV, aired on 5 November, 2016.
