Sherry Braised Pork Cheeks with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

3h 20 mins

6 people

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

Total Time

3h 20 mins

Pork cheeks are quickly becoming a popular ingredient in restaurant menus and tapas recipes. The best pork cheeks that you can use come from black Iberian pigs known as Cerdo Ibérico, which are fed on a diet of grass and acorns. The colour of Iberico cheeks is darker than standard pork cheeks and they tend to be slightly smaller but if cooked well, the flavour of these bad boys is incredible. Rich, nutty and intense, Iberico pork cheeks are a braising meat that needs flavour from root vegetables, stock and wine to make the dish worthwhile. In this recipe, I braise the cheeks for 3 hours in amontillado sherry, made from 100% Pedro Ximenez grapes. The PX sherry provides the richness to the dish and a distinctive aroma of raisins, coffee and chocolate. The perfect pairing to these cheeks is some creamy potato mash flavoured with roast garlic and a cold glass of amontillado sherry. Cheeks taste better if made the day before.

Ingredients
Method

For the sherry braised pork cheeks
1kg Iberico pork cheeks, all fat trimmed
5 tbsp olive Oil
4 large banana shallots, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped into cubes
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped into cubes
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
Plain flour to roll the cheeks on
1ltr beef stock
300ml amontillado sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
For the roasted garlic mashed potatoes:
500g King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 garlic cloves, skin on
100g butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
For the crispy shallots:
1 large banana shallot, peeled and cut into small rings
2 tbsp of plain flour
4 tbsp of milk
Salt to taste

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.

Ingredients

For the sherry braised pork cheeks
1kg Iberico pork cheeks, all fat trimmed
5 tbsp olive Oil
4 large banana shallots, finely chopped
1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped into cubes
2 sticks of celery, finely chopped into cubes
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
Plain flour to roll the cheeks on
1ltr beef stock
300ml amontillado sherry
Salt and pepper to taste
For the roasted garlic mashed potatoes:
500g King Edward potatoes, peeled and cut into small pieces
4 garlic cloves, skin on
100g butter
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
For the crispy shallots:
1 large banana shallot, peeled and cut into small rings
2 tbsp of plain flour
4 tbsp of milk
Salt to taste

Method

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.

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Iberico Pork Cheek 1.25kg

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Chef's Profile

Javier De La Hormaza

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