Spanish-Style Pork and Chorizo with Sherry, Capers and Crackling
I've had exams recently so haven't really managed to spend much time cooking but this weekend I was back in the kitchen with a vengeance and so this recipe was born!
As regular readers will know, I am truly in love with the flavours of Spain and this dish is a real taste and celebration of just that. The pork is cooked low and slow until it falls apart with the touch of a spoon, then the chorizo adds a smokey hit that truly transports you to the Mediterranean. There's also the sweetness of the carrots, the subtle hint of aniseed from the fennel, the sharpness of the capers and the indulgent crunch of crackling sprinkled over the top. This dish is a triumph and needs nothing more than a good chunk of bread or two to mop up the delicious gravy!
Spanish-Style Pork and Chorizo with Sherry, Capers and Crackling
Serves 8-10
Olive oil for frying
2 fennel bulbs, root removed, thickly sliced
1kg carrots, thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2kg British free-range pork shoulder joint, boned removed
2 tbsp plain flour
400g cooking chorizo, chopped
600ml light dry sherry, such as fino
1 litre good quality chicken stock
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tbsp salt
For the garnish:
1 tbsp olive oil
40g capers, drained
Large handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
To serve:
Crusty bread
Heat a glug of oil in a large, deep, flameproof lidded casserole, add the fennel and carrots and cook on a high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have a little colour. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then remove all the veg from the pan and set aside.
Remove the skin from the pork using a sharp knife and reserve (or ask your butcher to do this for you). Chop the meat into 4 large pieces and coat in the flour. Add a little more oil to the casserole, add the pork and chorizo, turn up the heat, then cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the sherry. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken stock, thyme and reserved vegetables. Put the lid on the casserole and cook over a low heat for 3 hours, stirring and turning the meat occasionally.
For the last hour of the cooking time, heat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Pat dry the reserved pork skin and score it diagonally with a sharp knife – make the scores quite close together for maximum crispiness. Rub 2 tbsp salt into the scores and all over the skin. Put it on a wire rack set in a roasting tray, then roast for 30 minutes until crackled, puffed and golden. Set aside.
When the meat is super-tender, skim off the excess fat from the surface of the stew. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside, then turn up the heat to high and reduce the stock for 35-40 minutes until it has the consistency of gravy. Break up the meat with 2 forks and stir it though the reduced sauce. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
For the garnish, heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan, then fry the capers for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove, cool slightly, then mix with the chopped parsley.
Serve the pork sprinkled with the crispy capers and parsley mixture, and strips of crackling, with some crusty bread on the side for mopping up the sauce.
As regular readers will know, I am truly in love with the flavours of Spain and this dish is a real taste and celebration of just that. The pork is cooked low and slow until it falls apart with the touch of a spoon, then the chorizo adds a smokey hit that truly transports you to the Mediterranean. There's also the sweetness of the carrots, the subtle hint of aniseed from the fennel, the sharpness of the capers and the indulgent crunch of crackling sprinkled over the top. This dish is a triumph and needs nothing more than a good chunk of bread or two to mop up the delicious gravy!
Spanish-Style Pork and Chorizo with Sherry, Capers and Crackling
Serves 8-10
Olive oil for frying 2 fennel bulbs, root removed, thickly sliced
1kg carrots, thickly sliced
4 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2kg British free-range pork shoulder joint, boned removed
2 tbsp plain flour
400g cooking chorizo, chopped
600ml light dry sherry, such as fino
1 litre good quality chicken stock
5 fresh thyme sprigs
2 tbsp salt
For the garnish:
1 tbsp olive oil
40g capers, drained
Large handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
To serve:
Crusty bread
Heat a glug of oil in a large, deep, flameproof lidded casserole, add the fennel and carrots and cook on a high heat, stirring, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have a little colour. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute, then remove all the veg from the pan and set aside.
Remove the skin from the pork using a sharp knife and reserve (or ask your butcher to do this for you). Chop the meat into 4 large pieces and coat in the flour. Add a little more oil to the casserole, add the pork and chorizo, turn up the heat, then cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the sherry. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, then add the chicken stock, thyme and reserved vegetables. Put the lid on the casserole and cook over a low heat for 3 hours, stirring and turning the meat occasionally.
For the last hour of the cooking time, heat the oven to 220°C/fan200°C/gas 7. Pat dry the reserved pork skin and score it diagonally with a sharp knife – make the scores quite close together for maximum crispiness. Rub 2 tbsp salt into the scores and all over the skin. Put it on a wire rack set in a roasting tray, then roast for 30 minutes until crackled, puffed and golden. Set aside.
When the meat is super-tender, skim off the excess fat from the surface of the stew. Remove the pork to a plate and set aside, then turn up the heat to high and reduce the stock for 35-40 minutes until it has the consistency of gravy. Break up the meat with 2 forks and stir it though the reduced sauce. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
For the garnish, heat 1 tbsp oil in a medium frying pan, then fry the capers for 3-4 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove, cool slightly, then mix with the chopped parsley.
Serve the pork sprinkled with the crispy capers and parsley mixture, and strips of crackling, with some crusty bread on the side for mopping up the sauce.
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