Pork Cheek Recipe - Great British Chefs

Pork cheek with crispy ham hock bon bon, crushed swede and mustard apple compote

Main
medium
8
4 hours

PT4H

Geoffrey Smeddle prepares a lavish pork cheek recipe with an attuned balance of flavours. Creamy, sweet swede nicely undercuts the richness of the pork, while the spiced apple compote elevates this satisfying dish.

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Ingredients

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Braised pork cheeks

8 pork cheeks
1/2 garlic clove, crushed
1 star anise
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, chopped
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
50ml of olive oil
1 carrot, finely diced
2 shallots, finely diced
1/2 fennel, finely sliced
75ml of brandy
100ml of white wine, reduced to 50ml
60ml of fish sauce
60ml of light soy sauce
1 dash of rice wine vinegar
1000ml of brown chicken stock
2 lemon grass stalks
100g of ginger, thinly sliced
1 pinch of salt
vegetable oil

Ham hock bon bon

1 ham hock
1 carrot, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 garlic clove, sliced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 star anise
1 tsp grain mustard
2 eggs
50g of flour
80g of Panko breadcrumbs
salt
vegetable oil

Spiced apple compote

5 red apples, peeled and chopped
200ml of ruby port
150ml of red wine
2 cloves
3 peppercorns
10g of grain mustard
1 knob of butter
salt

Crushed swede

1 swede, diced to 1cm
20g of butter
5g of grain mustard
1 tbsp of chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Crackling

1 slice of pig skin, 10 x 15cm
salt

Garnish

1 handful of pea shoots
2 baby carrots

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Deep fat fryer
Blender
Baking parchment
Squeezy bottle
Fine strainer

Use a sharp paring knife to remove all the sinew from the pork cheek, place onto a small tray

8 pork cheeks

Next, place a large heavy based pan over a medium heat. Add enough vegetable oil to coat the base of the pan, sweat off the shallots, carrots and fennel until soft and lightly golden

1 carrot, finely diced
2 shallots, finely diced
1/2 fennel, finely sliced

Add the brandy and white wine and reduce by half. Then, add the fish sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, chicken stock, lemongrass and ginger. Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover with cling film and allow to cool

75ml of brandy
100ml of white wine, reduced to 50ml
60ml of fish sauce
60ml of light soy sauce
1 dash of rice wine vinegar
1000ml of brown chicken stock
2 lemon grass stalks
100g of ginger, thinly sliced

Remove the pork cheeks from the fridge and add to the braising liquor. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until tender, approximately 1 hour. Once ready, the cheeks will hold their shape, but easily fall apart when cut into with a knife

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, spices, thyme, rosemary and olive oil. Add a generous pinch of salt and mix together. Pour the mix over the pig cheeks and rub to coat evenly. Place in the fridge and allow to marinate

2 cardamom pods, crushed
1/2 garlic clove, crushed
1 star anise
1 tsp black peppercorns
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
50ml of olive oil

For the crackling, preheat the oven to 180˚C/gas mark 4. Cut the pig's skin into 1/2cm strips and place onto a lined baking tray, cover with another piece of baking parchment

1 slice of pig skin, 10 x 15cm

Use a second tray of the same size, to place on top and press the skin down gently. Roast in the oven for 20-30 mintues, or until crispy. Remove, season with salt and keep in a warm place until ready to serve

salt

Remove the ham hock from the pot and allow to cool. While still warm, flake off the meat with your hands and chop finely

Pass the liquid through a fine strainer until very salty. Add a little of the reduction and the mustard to the chopped ham hock to bind together

1 tsp grain mustard

To cook the ham hock, place into a suitable pot and cover with water. Add the carrot, onion, garlic, herbs and spices. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until the meat comes away from the bone, approximately 1 hour

1 ham hock
1 carrot, sliced
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 garlic clove, sliced
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 star anise

Form into small, walnut-size balls, place on to a tray and leave to firm up in the fridge for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and prepare 3 bowls for coating

2 eggs
50g of flour
80g of Panko breadcrumbs
salt

Evenly coat each bon bon in flour, egg and then breadcrumbs. Repeat the egg and breadcrumb step to add an extra coating

For the compote, place all the ingredients, except for the mustard and butter, into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until all the liquid has been reduced and absorbed and the apples are soft

5 red apples, peeled and chopped
200ml of ruby port
150ml of red wine
2 cloves
3 peppercorns

Transfer to a blender, add the mustard, a small knob of butter and process until very smooth. Season to taste with salt and store in a squeeze bottle

10g of grain mustard
1 knob of butter
salt

Squirt a circle of the compote into the middle of each plate and drag the bottle around to form a tail shape, arrange the hot bon bons on top. Arrange a small amount of the hot swede opposite and lay each cheek on top. Finish with the crackling, a shaving of baby carrot and pea shoots. Serve immediately

2 baby carrots
1 handful of pea shoots

For the swede, gently boil in salted water until firm, but cooked. Drain, add the butter and mustard and mash gently with a fork. Stir through the chopped herbs and season to taste with salt

1 swede
20g of butter
5g of grain mustard
1 tbsp of chives, finely chopped
1 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Before serving, reheat the cheeks in the cooking liquor, warm the swedes and drop the bon bon's into a deep fat fryer at 190˚C for 2 minutes until golden brown

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Geoffrey Smeddle

Geoffrey Smeddle, proprietor and chef of The Peat Inn in Fife, started his career working for Herbert Berger at The Café Royal and for Christopher Galvin in London. He then sealed his reputation as one of Scotland’s top chefs by opening Terence Conran's Etain, in Glasgow.