Episode 60: Slow Food
NECK OF ENGELER FARM TAMWORTH PORK BRAISED WITH WHOLE ROASTED ONIONS, RIESLING, & LEMON THYME
1 pork neck roast, bone in, approximately 4 pounds
1 teaspoon each of rock salt and cracked black peppercorns
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 medium sized, whole, young onions, if possible the ones with the stems attached
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 cups of a decent quality dry Riesling wine
1 bayleaf
one dozen sprigs of lemon thyme, or any other variety of thyme. Rosemary also works well.
¼ cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
Preparation time is 2 ¼ hours
Ease of preparation is easy
Pre- heat to 325 degrees Fahrenheit
The ideal vessel for braising the roast is a straight sided, heavy bottom pan of stainless or copper 12 to 14 inches in diameter and at least 2 inches deep, with a metal (not plastic) handle and a tight fitting lid. With a pan such as this you can sear the neck roast on top of the stove, add the liquid and transfer it to the oven to braise.
Remove the skin from the pork, salt it and reserve to roast alone on a tray as cracklings. You may score the fat with a sharp knife if you like so that the cracklings break apart easier.
Season the neck with the rock salt and pepper and sear it on all sides on top of the stove in the 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Remove the seared roast and sauté the whole onions until they are golden brown on the outside. Remove the onions and set aside with the neck.
Add the garlic, white wine and herbs to the pan. The wine will “deglaze” the pan, removing any bits that are stuck to the bottom.
Place the neck and whole onions back in the pan with the braising liquid. Cover with a tight fitting lid and place in a preheated, 325 degree Fahrenheit oven. At the same time, place the skin on a separate tray, uncovered, and place in the oven to roast as cracklings. The cracklings are done when all the pork fat has rendered off and the cracklings are crisp and brown, after at least 1 hour.
Braise the neck for approximately 2 hours, or until the meat pulls away easily from the bone. Place the roast and the onions on a platter, and skim any grease off of the braising liquid.
Carve the meat in ¼ inch thick slices, cut the onions in half and present on a platter with the hot braising liquid poured on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and serve the chopped cracklings in a bowl on the side.
Yield: 6 servings
POTATO AND PUMPKIN GNOCCHI WITH SAGE AND GOAT CHEESE
1 ½ pounds boiling potatoes
1 cup baked pumpkin or squash, a dry, dense variety such as Kabocha squash or sugar pumpkin
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (approximately, you may need more for dusting the work surface)
¼ cup butter
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage leaves
4 ounces soft goat cheese
Preparation time is 2 hours
Ease of preparation is easy
Many recipes for potato gnocchi contain eggs or egg yolks to bind them. Purists know that this can make the gnocchi tough and rubbery. The key to tender gnocchi is to choose the perfect, starchy potato such as a Russet or those big bakers sold in a regular grocery store. Never try to use a new potato as this would lead to a disaster that would fall apart!
Boil the potatoes, unpeeled in abundant water. (Do not test them too often by puncturing with a fork or they will become waterlogged.) When cooked, drain the potatoes and peel them as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Puree the cooked potatoes and the baked squash through a food mill or a potato ricer while they are still warm.
Add most of the flour to the mashed potatoes and knead them into a smooth mixture. Some potatoes take more flour than others so it is best not to add all the flour at once. Stop adding flour when the mixture is soft, smooth and still lightly sticky. Form a large ball from the mixture and set aside to begin making the gnocchi.
Take a handful of the mixture and roll in into sausage like rolls about the size of a large thumb, then cut the rolls into ¾ inch lengths.
Although hard to explain, forming the gnocchi is actually quite easy once you get the hang of it. Place your thumb in the centre of one of the cylinders and roll it towards you a quarter to a half of a turn, which will form an indentation in the gnocchi and give it a slightly plump oval shape. Try to keep your hands dry and free of dough and work as quickly as possible. If a few of the gnocchi end up deformed, they can be re rolled with the next batch. Place the formed gnocchi on lightly floured trays.
Bring a large pot of water to boil and add salt when you are ready to cook. Have a colander and the butter for sauce ready as the gnocchi will cook very quickly. In a medium saucepan, heat the butter until it turns golden brown and begins to smell nutty. Remove the butter from heat and add the sage.
Use the brown sage butter to butter a casserole dish, reserving the majority to mix with the gnocchi. Cook the gnocchi in batches by dropping them in the boiling water quickly but one by one. (They will sink at first, but then quickly rise to the surface) when the surface of the water is filled with floating gnocchi remove them with a slotted spoon and place them in the casserole dish, adding a little of the butter on top. Repeat until the gnocchi are all cooked. Crumble the goat cheese on top of the casserole dish and broil them on the middle rack of the oven under a preheated broiler until the goat cheese melts and the butter begins to sizzle, about 3 minutes.
Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
