Slow-cooked Pork

Pork cheek is a widely available  and popular cut in France, costing between 16 and 20 euros per kilo from independent butchers. It is a cut for slow cooking (Fr. confites) and when it is served the meat should be soft enough to cut with a spoon. You need to be a bit organised with this dish, as not only does it require a short marination before a long simmering, but it is better cooked the day before you eat it, then reheated for serving. If you are a fan of nose to tail eating, this dish is totally worth the wait.

Ingredients:
800 g pork cheek (chunks of pork shoulder could be substituted)
5 tbsp olive oil (one that's been infused with a flavour is good)
5 cloves of garlic, crushed
Salt (smoked flakes are nice)
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup water
2 shallots, finely chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp sugar

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 220C.
2. Mix the oil, garlic, salt and pepper in an oven proof dish to make a marinade.
3. Coat the pork in the marinade and leave for at least half an hour.
4. Add the water to the dish and put the pork in the oven.
5. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the shallots, vinegar and sugar.
6. Stir the pork and lower the temperature of the oven to 150C.
7. Cook for 2 hours 20 minutes, basting and turning the pork every 20 minutes.
8. The next day reheat by returning the dish to the oven at 150C for 30 minutes.
9. Serves 4, with potatoes (mash, dauphinoise or Anna) or pasta, slow roasted tomatoes and steamed buttered root vegetables, cabbage or romanescu.

Yum

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