Javier is a Basque born, trained chef and hospitality professional, owner of Basco Fine Foods, a Spanish food and drink importer based in Yorkshire. He regularly runs client food and drink events around the country and he is a course tutor at Hartingtons of Bakewell cookery school. Javier’s passion lies on bringing quality Spanish ingredients and recipes to as many people as possible.
Twitter: @bascofinefoods
Instagram: @mrbasco
Pluma Iberica is a rather special cut taken from the neck end of the Iberico pork loin. In Spanish, pluma translates to ‘feather’ – due in part to the point-like shape – and is sourced from free-range Iberian Black Pigs. Pluma does have rather an abundance of fat that covers the lean meat underneath. However, it is precisely this fat that makes pluma so tasty and succulent. You need to cook it like a steak, charred on the outside and medium rare in the middle, with a good sprinkle of crunchy salt flakes at the end. Parsley, garlic, and lemon make up a classic gremolata, but I like to add some olive oil to make it more into a sauce that I can spoon over grilled meats. Some chopped hazelnuts give the gremolata a nutty texture that pairs well with the acorn-fed pluma Iberica.