Pork Cheeks with Polenta

Pork Cheeks with Polenta

• 1 Kg. Pork Cheeks ¹


• 1 large Onion, roughly diced


• 1 large Carrot, roughly diced


• 1 Celery Stick, sliced


• 3 Garlic Cloves, sliced


• 1 tbsp of chopped Oregano


• 500 ml of Chicken Stock


• 200 ml of Passato di Pomodoro


• 200 ml of Red Wine


• 300 g of Polenta


• 150 g of Parmesan Cheese, finely grated


• 1 lt. Vegetable Stock


• 25 g of Butter


• 100 g of Rocket, washed and rinsed


• 100 g of Bacon Lardons


• 150 g of Chestnut Mushrooms, sliced


• rapeseed or similar oil, for frying


• Zest of one Lemon


• 1 tbsp of Parsley, finely chopped


• 2 Garlic cloves, finely chopped


• Salt


• Pepper

• Preheat oven to 140 C.


• Take a casserole dish that comes with a lid and place on the hob over a high heat.


• Add a splash of oil, lightly season the pork cheeks with salt and pepper and quickly brown them all over.(You may have to cook the pork cheeks in two batches.)


• Put the pork cheeks to one side on a plate and turn the heat down to medium.


• Add some more oil and then throw in the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and oregano, cover and sweat for 10 minutes until everything is soft.


• Add the red wine and cook off the alcohol for about 5 minutes, then place the cheeks back on top of the vegetables.


• Pour the chicken stock over the top, along with the passato di pomodoro


• Bring up to the boil and then cover and put the casserole in the oven.


• Cook for 3 to 4 hours, checking every now and then on the pork cheeks, they should be very soft and starting to fall apart when done


• Remove the pork cheeks from the sauce, cover and keep in a warm place.


• strain the remaining liquid into a saucepan using a sieve. Using the back of a spoon, push as much sauce out as possible.


• When done, place the saucepan on the hob and reduce by half


• Cook your Polenta by bring the light vegetable stock to the boil and then add the maize flour, stirring all the while, until it thickens.


• This should take about 8-10 minutes and about 5 minutes in, you need to add the Parmesan cheese and continue stirring.


• Season with pepper and finish off with a knob of butter


• For the bacon and mushrooms, simply fry them off in a pan with a small dash of oil


• For the gremolata mix up the lemon zest, parsley and garlic in a small bowl .


• The rinsed rocket only needs a very quick flash in a pan over the hob for it to shrink down, say 30 seconds.


• Don't overcook the Rocket, otherwise it will turn slimy.


• Bring everything together by spooning a generous amount of Polenta in the center of each plate, then take two or three cheeks, sliced on the diagonal and arrange on top.


• Drizzle a nice ladle of rich sauce over the top of the polenta and pork cheeks, along with the mushroom and bacon.


• Finish with a healthy scattering of Gremolata across the plate.

1. http://www.myparktowers.com/category.php?mode=sear ch&searchquery=pork%20cheeks
2. http://inhousebutchers.com/2017/05/17/beer-braised -pork-cheeks/