Porkforallseasons

Pork

the meat for all seasons

A chef’s celebration of pork on the menu throughout the year

Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Stoneleigh Park Kenilworth Warwickshire CV8 2TL www.porkforcaterers.com

Produced in association with

With acknowledgement to

First published in 2009.

Text, design and photographs Š2009 AHDB. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission from the publisher.

Designed, written and produced by Marketsquare. Food photography by William Shaw.

Food styling by Jane Oliver. Art direction by Ysanne Johnson. Design by Naomi Nicklin.

Printed in the UK on FSC material from well-managed forests and other controlled sources.

About Protected Food Names The Protected Food Names scheme was established by the European Union to maintain and enhance the diversity of traditional food and drink products. The scheme recognises products with regional or national provenance. Where recognised products have been used in the recipes in this book, they are identified with these symbols.

Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) The product must have been produced and processed and prepared in the designated geographical area. The quality or characteristics of the product are essentially due to the terrain of the area in which it is produced and the abilities of producers in that area.

Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) The product must be produced or processed or prepared in the designated geographical area. It will have specific characteristics or a special reputation linking it to the given area, and at least one stage of production must be carried out in that area. (Unlike PDO products, however, raw materials may come from another region.)

The BPEX Quality Standard Mark for Pork is an independently audited assurance scheme ensuring full traceability along with high standards of production and process from the farm through to the consumer.

BPEX Limited represents pig levy payers in England and is a division of the Agricultural and Horticultural Development Board (AHDB). www.ahdb.org.uk For further information: Call us on 02476 692051 Email us at foodservice@bpex.org.uk Visit www.porkforcaterers.com

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The meat for all seasons A CELEBRATION OF PORK ON THE MENU AROUND THE COUNTRY, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

As we enjoy something of a back-to-basics food revival, cooking with seasonal ingredients is once more finding favour as a foundation of sound and responsible menu construction, and pleasurable eating.

Thanks to our clearly defined seasons, farmers and growers can offer an enormous variety of changing produce throughout the year, to be enjoyed when at its best. The tender asparagus of early spring, the ripe soft fruits of late summer, plump marrows and squashes in the autumn, or the first-frosted Brussels sprouts of winter are surely all the more enjoyable because of their seasonal availability? Amidst the edge-blurring year-round availability of produce from around the world, chefs have a wonderful opportunity to create a genuine point of difference – an out of home dining experience based on the seasons.

Of course, in the days before modern food preservation techniques our predecessors’ diet had to be based mainly on ingredients which were both in season and grown, reared, caught or gathered near to home. A region’s dishes therefore remained pretty much rooted in its own territory, and recipes and tastes developed, by and large, according to the availability of ingredients in the area. Many of these old regional dishes still thrive today, standing the test of time simply because they’re practical, economical and taste good! Happily, an increasing number of chefs are doing their bit to champion the traditional food of their native or adopted areas, and to develop dishes that respect those traditions whilst adding their own twists to old recipes.

Pork offers more opportunities than any other red meat to eat in harmony with the changing seasons. A sticky autumnal braise of pork, apples and root vegetables is perfect comfort food as the weather turns cooler and the days shorten, and a dish of soft pork belly confit will stave off even the deepest winter chill – just add a crackling log fire. A delicate ham hock terrine with spring vegetables heralds the start of lighter eating, and what could be more enticing than the smell of slowly-barbecued pork shoulder, its crisp skin and tender meat perfect for stuffing into soft bread, drifting across a summer garden?

We hope you find inspiration in this book.

We asked six chefs from different foodservice sectors, each working in a different part of the country, to tell us how they serve pork at each time of year, using ingredients from their own regions. Whether you follow the recipes, adapt them or use them as a springboard for your own imagination, if you’re serious about creating food that reflects the seasons, about using fresh ingredients and sustaining our delicious food heritage, please make sure that pork is on your menu throughout the year.

Pork offers more opportunities than any other red meat to eat in harmony with the changing seasons.

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Which brings us to pork. For centuries the meat of the pig has played a role in the seasonal and regional eating habits of this nation. Not requiring the open pasture needed for grazing by sheep and cattle, pigs were kept by smallholders and families all over the country to provide an economical and popular source of protein. Though no longer itself a seasonal meat (traditionally pigs were slaughtered in the autumn and much of the meat preserved for use over winter), pork’s versatility and readiness to accept flavours and complementary ingredients have earned it a regular place on the plate around the country and throughout the year.

Tony Goodger Foodservice Marketing Manager, BPEX

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6

With thanks to all our contributing chefs...

Recipe Contents autumn 13

Loin and pudding of pork, bacon potatoes, morel sauce and walnut crackling AP

14

Roast belly pork, mustard mash, braised red cabbage and Bramley apple sauce DC

17

Bath chaps in scrumpy with West Country Farmhouse Cheddar TF

19

Roast loin of pork with a smoked bacon and mushroom sauce, root vegetable terrine and farmhouse potatoes SM

Alan Paton East Anglia

Steve Reynolds Midlands

21

Pork neck casserole, apple and sage dumplings and roasted root vegetables MS

Development Chef

Country Pub

22

Slow cooked belly pork in Herefordshire cider, smoked bacon and beans with baked apples and pears SR

winter

Tim Fletcher South West

Darren Clemmit

Secondary School

Traditional Inn

North East

26

Faggots with parsnip mash TF

30

Pork tenderloin stuffed with dried fruits on pearl barley and roasted root vegetables SR

30

Pork fillet, glazed vegetables, dark pork jus and dauphinoise potatoes MS

32

Honey and thyme glazed belly pork, cassoulet of smoked bacon and white beans SM

35

Real ale toad in the hole, creamed swede and butternut squash, caramelised red onion gravy DC

35

Black pudding and pork liver paté AP

spring Mathew Shropshall North West Chef / Lecturer

Steve Munkley London and the South East Hotel / Banquetting

42

Crumbed pork liver, new season asparagus, hollandaise, beetroot purée MS

42

Braised pork knuckle with Puy lentils and parsley mash SM

45

Pressed pig’s head with braised chicory SR

47

24 hour roast pork shoulder with carrot and butter bean stew DC

47

Pork and beetroot tart with Dorset Blue cheese TF

49

Ham hock fritters, egg and crushed new season peas AP

summer 53

Walnut-crusted pork fillet, summer leaf salad, walnut bread croutons, raspberry vinaigrette TF

55

Pork collar daube, summer vegetables and cider AP

55

Jellied ham knuckle, piccalilli and watercress DC

57

Roast rack of pork, plum and apple stuffing, Armagnac jus SM

58

Grilled devilled pork loin, pea purée, artichoke foam and minted garden potatoes MS

60

Loin of pork, smoked Jersey Royal potatoes and crispy pig’s ear salad SR

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Make the most of pork As with all ingredients, choosing the best pork for your menus requires some care, but such attention will reward you with a quality product which you can be proud to serve, and which your customers will appreciate. Here are some tips on how to source and serve the best quality pork for your menu.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

REMEMBER THE FOREQUARTER

Find out where your pork comes from: what breed is it, is it free range? This is all useful information to display on your menus, and gives you the reassurance that you are buying a product of quality and provenance. BPEX research shows that 61% of consumers want to know the origin of the meat they eat*, so make sure you know too!

In particular, the BPEX Quality Standard Mark for Pork is a guarantee for you and a reassurance for your customers that the pork you are serving is of good quality and from pigs that have been reared and slaughtered to high standards of animal welfare.

Cuts from the forequarter of the pig are generally more cost-effective to buy than the more popular loin and legs.

Belly, shoulder, collar and hock are all supremely versatile cuts which, when cooked with care and time, deliver excellent eating quality and superb value, provided you ensure that the meat is from better quality carcases.

In comparison with other proteins, pork generally, and the forequarter in particular, represents excellent value for money, delivering higher profit margins.

TALK TO YOUR BUTCHER

Many traditional recipes use parts of the pig that have fallen a little out of favour today – head meat, cheeks, tail, knuckle, offal – but can be used creatively to make wonderful dishes full of flavour and interest. Such dishes may take your older customers back to their more frugal, younger days, or be a new discovery for younger diners.

Either way, they represent a profitable opportunity for you, and can be a real point of difference on your menus.

There are a number of inspirational ideas in this book.

Get your butcher on your side. Explain your standards, show him your menu, invite him to your kitchen. Let him eat your food. Ask him for ideas. The more he understands what you are trying to achieve, the more he should be able to help you. Return the visit to his own premises, so that you can check his own operation, and make sure it meets your expectations. If the butcher is being supplied by a particular farmer, why not ask to visit the farm?

A good understanding, a partnership, between you and your butcher will be a great reassurance to you as a chef.

BE CLEAR IN YOUR SPECIFICATIONS If you want consistency and quality from your butcher, you must be clear about exactly what you expect from him.

This means giving accurate, detailed specifications to ensure that you receive pork of the quality, style and price you require, and cut, trimmed and prepared as you need it, depending on the skill and time available in your kitchen. Specifying correctly and tightly will also cut down on waste, and provides a clear benchmark against which to judge what your butcher supplies. (Remember that you are not obliged to accept meat that is ‘off-spec’ – send it back and get your supplier to redeliver.)

TRY LESSER USED CUTS FOR MAXIMUM PROFITABILITY

INVOLVE YOUR STAFF, AND YOUR CUSTOMERS Today’s dining consumers are taking an increasing interest in issues of animal welfare, food safety and supply sources and your staff should be able to answer any such questions with confidence and truth. Make sure your staff know where your pork comes from and how it is reared, and consider declaring the information on your menus or blackboards (research has shown that 80% of consumers want to see meat origin declared on menus*), so that your customers can have confidence in your supply choices.

ENHANCE YOUR MENU DESCRIPTIONS Pork is already popular with diners (89% of respondents say that they would order pork when eating out**) but an innovative approach to pork dishes and more appealing menu descriptions can further encourage customers to choose pork: 89% of diners would like to see the style of cooking described on the menu, and 79% the cut of meat**.

Don’t disappoint diners or miss an opportunity to sell more pork.

* Source: Horizons Quickbite Report June 2008 ** Source: BPEX Pork in Foodservice Category Report Update Summer 2009

8

GREEN COLLAR BACON

BELLY

HEAD

BUTCHER’S SAUSAGES

LIVER

LARDER-TRIMMED RACK

ROLLED COLLAR

HOCKS

SHOULDER

9

autumn September | October | November

12

INGREDIENTS Serves 4 loin of pork 4 x 150g pork tenderloins 100g butter bacon potatoes 6 medium to large waxy potatoes 12 slices of dry cured, thinly sliced streaky bacon 1 litre duck or goose fat pudding of pork pastry 150g self-raising flour 100g suet 4-5 tablespoons water 4-5 tablespoons rendered pork fat 1 pinch salt filling 250g small dice of pork shoulder 50g coarse minced belly 75g small diced pork fat 100ml reduced pork stock 1 fresh bay leaf, finely diced 1 pinch ground white pepper 1 pinch smoked sea salt 2 shallots, finely diced 1 small carrot, finely diced 50ml white port 1 egg, beaten 20g butter oil walnut crackling 100g fondant 66g glucose 83g ground walnuts morel sauce 20 dried morels, re-hydrated in 50ml Madeira and 50ml pork stock for 3 hours, then removed, strained and liquid reserved 120ml double cream, semi-whipped and chilled 300ml ice-filtered dark pork stock 0.8g Xantana garnish 12 baby beetroot, cooked and skinned 200g kale, rinsed, blanched and refreshed 40g butter

LOIN AND PUDDING OF PORK, BACON POTATOES, MOREL SAUCE AND WALNUT CRACKLING ALAN PATON For the puddings Line 4x75ml moulds with rendered pork fat, chill, repeat and dust with plain flour.

Set aside. Make the pastry by mixing together the flour, salt and suet. Stir in enough water to make a firm but not sticky dough. Lightly flour, wrap in cling film and rest.

For the filling, melt the butter in a pan, add the carrot, shallot and diced pork fat and cook over medium heat for 7-9 minutes. In a hot pan with a little oil, seal the diced pork shoulder, colouring all over. Drain in a sieve over a bowl.

Repeat the process with the pork belly.

Once the meat has drained, return the juices to the pan with the white port to deglaze and reduce almost to glace.

In a mixing bowl, bring all the filling ingredients together, mix well and set aside. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough to ½cm thick. Cut out 4 discs to line the moulds and 4 lids to seal.

Line the moulds with the pastry, leaving a little pastry overhanging the edges, and divide the filling mixture between moulds (you may have a little over).

Brush the edges with beaten egg, add the pastry lid, seal and trim any excess.

Cover the mould with a square of buttered greaseproof paper. Place in a bain-marie, cover with tin foil and cook at 160°C for 50-60 minutes. (Alternatively wrap the mould in cling film and steam for 70 minutes.)

For the bacon potatoes Peel the potatoes. Trim off uneven sides using a 2.5cm diameter cutter or ring and cut out 12 cylinders of potatoes.

Trim to neaten the edges, wash and pat dry. Place the potatoes in an oven tray with just room to slightly space out, and add duck or goose fat to cover. Cook at 140°C until cooked through (use a small knife to check). Allow to cool slightly in the fat, then remove and chill. Lay out the bacon and run the back of a chopping knife along each rasher to stretch and flatten it slightly. Wrap a rasher around each potato, and reserve until needed.

pork | autumn

For the walnut crackling Heat the glucose and fondant to 160°C. Add the walnuts and mix well, then pour the mixture onto a lightly oiled tray.

Roll out between two lightly oiled sheets of silicone paper to about 3mm, then either cut into thin strips or curved triangles. Use on the day made or store in an airtight container with a tablespoon of silica gel wrapped in muslin cloth.

To serve Heat the butter in a medium frying pan until foaming. Season the pork, place in the pan and seal on all sides.

Place the pan in the oven at 190°C for approximately 9 minutes. Un-mould the puddings and keep warm or, if made well in advance, return to the oven to heat through. Return the potatoes to the oven.

Reduce the morel liquor by half. Bring the pork stock up to about 80°C, whisk in the Xantana until dissolved, and keep warm. Re-heat the kale in butter and chopped sage. Season. Dip the beetroot in water to re-heat. Heat the morels in some butter. Take the pork loin from the oven and rest.

Dress the plates with kale, potatoes, beetroot and the puddings. Whisk the cream into the reduced morel liquor, spoon onto plates and place the morels onto the sauce. Cut each pork loin into 3 slices and dress onto the kale. Spoon over the pork stock and garnish with the crackling.

INGREDIENTS Serves 6 2kg belly pork, scored and rubbed with hemp oil and sea salt ½ bottle of red wine 1 red cabbage 200g sugar 400g potatoes knob of butter 2 teaspoons of grain mustard 3 Bramley apples 100g sugar juice of a lemon

14

ROAST BELLY PORK, MUSTARD MASH, BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND BRAMLEY APPLE SAUCE DARREN CLEMMIT Cook the belly pork at 180°C for 30 minutes then reduce to 140°C for 2½ hours.

Chop the red cabbage and cook slowly with the wine and sugar for 1½ hours.

Boil the potatoes, drain and mash with butter and mustard.

Peel and chop the apples. Stew slowly on stove with sugar and lemon juice, until a sauce consistency.

To serve Carve the pork into six pieces and remove the crackling. Remove the fat from the tray, add the cabbage liquor to the pan and simmer. Place the cabbage and mash onto the plate, arrange the pork on top with the apple sauce to the side. Serve with crackling on top and cooking liquor around.

Darren Clemmit North East Darren makes the most of having such excellent quality pork available to him from his local butcher

“

Low mileage menus ‘Simple goodness from fresh ingredients’ is Darren Clemmit’s motto. As Head Chef of one of the most awarded inns in North Yorkshire, it’s apparent that Darren’s philosophy works. Standing at the ‘gateway to the moors’, the building has been open for business as an inn more or less continuously since the 16th century, and hospitality seems to be ingrained in its rich stone walls.

Our passion for great food starts with the effort we put into finding outstanding local suppliers

”

“Our passion for great food starts with the effort we put into finding great suppliers, especially outstanding local suppliers” says Darren. “We spend as much time sourcing our ingredients as we do cooking them. Freshness and quality are our watchwords.”

Having a quality pork supplier on his doorstep is an undoubted bonus to this ethos, and all of Darren’s excellent Tamworth pork is sourced directly from this farm and butcher, just a narrow moorland track away from the inn. Darren makes the most of having such excellent pig meat available to him, so that there is always at least one pork dish on the lunch and dinner menus throughout the year, and roast leg of pork is an essential on the Sunday lunch menu, whatever the season. The inn also prides itself on its cooked-to-order breakfasts. “Many of our guests tell us that our bacon, sausages and black pudding are the highlight of their stay: once again, it’s all down to the quality of our ingredients.”

Back in the kitchen, everything is homemade, including the bread, the ice cream and their own chutneys and conserves… even the ketchup! Darren’s menus change each month, offering traditional Yorkshire favourites as well as seasonal menu selections. Even the dining room reflects the seasons: a roaring log fire ensures it’s cosy, warm and intimate in the winter and the beautiful flagstone floors keep it cool, restful and relaxing in the summer.

“But of course,” says Darren, “the food is always the star, and that definitely includes the pork.”

The kitchen uses local ingredients, such as the excellent watercress grown in spring water just yards from the inn

pork | autumn

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16

BATH CHAPS IN SCRUMPY WITH WEST COUNTRY FARMHOUSE CHEDDAR TIM FLETCHER

“This dish is a true regional speciality, originating in Somerset and Wiltshire. It’s made from the lower part of the pig’s cheek, and demands good quality pork to deliver best results. Served hot, the dish is rich and filling with layers of lean meat and fat. The chaps can also be served cold, thinly sliced.”

First make the brine solution by boiling all the ingredients together to dissolve the salt and sugar, then chill the liquid. Place the pig’s jaws in a plastic container and pour over the chilled brine. Store in the fridge, with the cheeks submerged in the liquid, for 3 to 4 days.

Bring a large pan of cider to the boil before adding the jaws. Simmer for about 3 hours, until the meat starts to fall from the bone. Take the jaws from the liquid and, whilst still hot, remove the jawbones and pare away the rind, leaving as much fat as desired, to leave the ‘chaps’ – triangular-shaped pieces of meat each weighing approximately 500g.

With the fat side down, place approximately 50g of cheese on each chap.

Wrap the meat tightly in cling film to form a cone shape, then refrigerate overnight.

Heat a little oil in a frying pan until hot. Remove the cling film from the chaps and add them to the pan, season and caramelise both sides then place in the oven until hot.

To serve Slice the chaps and serve with roasted squash or pumpkin, with a reduction of the strained scrumpy cooking liquor.

INGREDIENTS Serves 10 10 pig’s cheeks including the lower part of the jowl brine 25-30 litres of water 3kg salt 50 juniper berries, crushed 3kg sugar 50 cloves black peppercorns, crushed cooking liquor

CHEF’S NOTE This recipe could contain the tongue or be smoked.

If the whole head is cooked, the remaining meat could be used to make brawn.

25-30 litres of scrumpy cider 500g West Country Farmhouse Cheddar cheese

West Country Farmhouse Cheddar

pork | autumn

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Five star quality

Steve Munkley London and the South East

Running the kitchens of a central-London five-star hotel with over 50 chefs keeps Executive Head Chef Steve Munkley pretty much on his managerial toes.

But that doesn’t mean he’s any less passionate about his own cooking and the provenance and seasonality of his ingredients.

A typical day begins by cooking breakfast for hotel guests, which may be followed by catering for a lavish gourmet lunch, then finally preparing a full-scale banquet for 450 discerning guests in the evening. Not forgetting the in-house catering, with 300 staff a day to feed. Around 1,000 covers are catered for daily throughout the hotel, rising to 2,000 on a busy day.

Pork plays a role throughout Steve’s menus, and his supply is mostly free range and organic. He explains: “Our pork comes in butchered into primary cuts. Bacon and sausage are obviously popular items on our breakfast plates, belly is extremely popular in our restaurants, and we use a lot of loin for banquetting. We occasionally have pork knuckle on our menu, and we use shoulder meat for terrines. So all in all, yes, pork is popular with our guests!”

As an international hotel, with many of its patrons visiting from other countries, Steve relishes the opportunity to showcase the best of what Britain has to offer.

His menus celebrate well-sourced seasonal ingredients and Steve insists on using quality suppliers, often local ones so he can check them out, especially for his produce and meat. “It’s all about delivering a quality product and a quality service, in a wonderful environment – a total experience,” says Steve. Three AA Rosettes endorse that his philosophy works.

As if his responsibilities at the hotel weren’t all-consuming enough, Steve also finds time to act as Vice President of the Craft Guild of Chefs

“

It’s all about delivering a quality product and a quality service, in a wonderful environment

”

INGREDIENTS Serves 6 1200g boneless loin of pork 150g lardons of smoked streaky bacon

ROAST LOIN OF PORK WITH A SMOKED BACON AND MUSHROOM SAUCE, ROOT VEGETABLE TERRINE AND FARMHOUSE POTATOES

120g sliced button mushrooms

STEVE MUNKLEY

450ml pork jus

pinch freshly chopped parsley

100ml double cream

Pot-roasted pork

Farmhouse potatoes

Remove the rind from the pork loin in one piece. Trim any excess fat, leaving just a fine skin to protect the loin. Tie the rind back around the loin for cooking only. Roast in a hot oven at 180°C for approximately 40 - 50 minutes, wrap in tin foil and rest before cutting.

Pan fry the onions in oil until soft, add the oyster mushrooms and sauté until cooked.

Deep fry the potatoes until golden brown then drain on kitchen paper. In the pan with the onions and mushrooms, melt a knob of butter, mix in the potatoes and finish with parsley and seasoning.

Root vegetable terrine

To serve

Sweat the vegetables in duck fat until soft, season and leave to drain in a colander.

Line a small terrine mould first with cling film then air dried ham. Overfill the terrine with the vegetables, wrap the ham around and seal with cling film. Press with a heavy weight overnight. Turn the terrine out from the mould, remove cling film and cut in to portions. To reheat, either use a steamer or under cling film in a microwave.

Sauté the lardons and mushrooms in a little butter, then drain in a sieve, tossing together with parsley. Reheat the jus, adding the cream once it has boiled, correct the seasoning and pass through a chinoise. Reheat the vegetable terrine and farmhouse potatoes ready for service. To plate the dish, remove the foil and rind from the pork and cut into 12 even slices. Place the potatoes and terrine on the plate, fan 2 slices of pork at the front, spoon some mushroom mixture over the pork and finish with the sauce.

for the root vegetable terrine 150g each julienne of carrot, swede, celeriac and onions 185g duck fat 75g air dried ham for the farmhouse potatoes 400g peeled potatoes,

pork | autumn

diced 2cm cubes 100g red onions, peeled and cut in to 2cm pieces 50g oyster mushrooms, broken in to 2cm pieces pinch freshly chopped parsley

19

PORK NECK CASSEROLE, APPLE AND SAGE DUMPLINGS AND ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES MATHEW SHROPSHALL INGREDIENTS Serves 2 400g pork neck 50g onion 50g carrot 50g celery bouquet garni 50g butter or oil ¼ litre jus-lie 50ml cider 100g apple dumplings (apple, sage and onion) 200g roasted diced root vegetables (baby turnip, parsnip and carrot) seasoning

“Pork neck is a really economical cut and, when slowly cooked, beautifully soft and tender. Here I’ve just refined the casserole concept a little to keep the flavours of the individual components clean and distinct. You could vary the vegetables according to season.”

Prepare the pork. Slice the onion, carrot and celery and place in the bottom of the casserole dish with the bouquet garni. Season the pork, place on the bed of roots and spread with butter. Cover with a lid and place in a hot oven (230°C - 250°C ).

Cook for approximately 1½ hours, basting occasionally.

When cooked, remove the pork, pour off the fat from the casserole and remove the bouquet garni. Deglaze the casserole with the cider and demi-glace or jus-lie. Pour the sauce into a sauteuse, boil, skim and correct the seasoning and consistency.

To serve Pass the sauce through a fine strainer. Plate the pork onto the roasted vegetables, add the sauce and top with apple dumplings and a sprig of rosemary.

pork | autumn

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SLOW COOKED BELLY PORK IN HEREFORDSHIRE CIDER, SMOKED BACON AND BEANS WITH BAKED APPLES AND PEARS STEVE REYNOLDS Scatter the sage leaves and half heads of garlic in a baking tray, place the pork belly on top and pour cider and stock around.

Cover and bake at a low temperature for 4 hours or until tender. Remove the pork and press under a tray with weights for 24 hours. Put the cooking liquid in a pan and skim off all fat, reduce by half then cool.

To serve Slice the pressed pork into 10 pieces and season. Place skin-side down in a very hot pan for 3 minutes then put in the oven for 20 minutes. Place the beans on the plate, scatter the apples and pears over, slice the belly and place on top.

Fry the onion, garlic, carrot and bacon, add the beans and the stock reduction.

Set aside. Cut the apples and pears into quarters, remove the core and cut into 1cm pieces. Melt the butter in a small roasting tray, add the apples and pears and colour lightly. Add the sugar and place in a medium oven for 4 - 5 minutes until the fruit just begins to soften.

Remove from the oven, pour on the apple brandy and flame it to burn off the alcohol.

INGREDIENTS Serves 10 slow cooked belly pork 1 whole pork belly, scored bunch of sage 2 heads of garlic, halved 570ml Herefordshire cider 1135ml chicken stock smoked bacon and beans

CHEF’S NOTE Bricks covered with tin foil make suitable weights for pressing the pork.

10 rashers of smoked bacon 2 cloves of finely chopped garlic 1 diced carrot 1 diced onion 500g haricot beans (tinned are fine) baked apples and pears 4 Cox’s apples 4 conference pears 100g butter 100g caster sugar 50ml apple brandy

Herefordshire cider

22

pork | autumn

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winter December | January | February

FAGGOTS WITH PARSNIP MASH TIM FLETCHER

“Once frugal fill-you-ups, traditional dishes like this seem to be enjoying a revival on menus and are increasingly appreciated as part of our culinary heritage. I’ve used a fairly classic faggot seasoning here, but you could experiment with other herbs and spices. The caul fat and stock help to keep the faggots moist during cooking, which benefits the finished dish.”

To make the faggots, heat the oil and butter and sauté the onion and butter until soft. Thoroughly mix all the remaining ingredients except the caul fat, take a small amount of the mixture and fry in a little oil to check the seasoning (correct if necessary). Divide the remaining mixture into 10 large balls and wrap each in a sheet of caul fat. Place the faggots in a pan with the stock and braise in the oven at 180°C for 1 hour, basting frequently to keep moist.

For the mash, boil or steam the parsnips and potatoes together until soft. Drain and dry the vegetables well before passing through a potato ricer or fine mouli. Add the butter and cream, then season to taste.

To serve Serve one faggot per portion with a quenelle of mash and a little of the strained cooking liquor.

INGREDIENTS Serves 10 faggots 500g pig’s liver, coarsely minced 500g pig’s heart, coarsely minced 500g belly pork, coarsely minced 50g butter 20ml oil 5g ground mace 200g diced onion 3 cloves of garlic, chopped 20g chopped fresh sage 20g chopped fresh parsley 100g breadcrumbs to taste, salt and white pepper 10 pieces of caul fat, cut into approximately 15cm squares 1 litre brown stock parsnip mash 750g parsnips, peeled and roughly chopped 500g potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped 125g butter to taste, salt and white pepper 100ml double cream

26

CHEF’S NOTE You could also include raw 5mm diced root vegetables (parsnips, carrots, swede) in the faggot mix, and for a richer alternative, braise in red wine.

pork | winter

27

“

We use virtually every part of the animal in the kitchen, including making our own sausages, bacon and black pudding

Steve Reynolds Midlands

”

Grow your own Steve and Nicola Reynolds’ pub in rural Herefordshire was built at the meeting point of two old drovers’ roads and is part medieval, part early Victorian with a bit of the 1970s thrown in. Today the pub, the first in the country to be awarded a Michelin Star, has three dining rooms, a wealth of original features and a warm, relaxed atmosphere.

Steve has built his own smokery which produces excellent smoked belly, chorizo, garlic and butter

Steve takes great pride in serving produce of top quality.

“Our meat comes from local farms. We are growing some of our own fruit and vegetables, but there are plenty of local producers to make up the shortfall, several of whom are organic.”

A blackboard in the bar lists the suppliers.

Always a supporter of rare breed pork, Steve is a great advocate of the Middle White, whose meat is sweet with a good covering of fat. Steve and Nicola’s initially experimental self-sufficiency now provides almost all the pork for the kitchen: “We now keep our own Middle White pigs and have three breeding sows.

We send a pig a week to slaughter on average, and use virtually every part of the animal in the kitchen, including making our own sausages, bacon and black pudding. We also make faggots and have started to produce our own cured and smoked pork products.”

28

Steve’s initially experimental self-sufficiency now provides almost all the pork for the kitchen

Recipe on page 30

pork | winter

29

PORK TENDERLOIN STUFFED WITH DRIED FRUITS ON PEARL BARLEY AND ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES

PORK FILLET, GLAZED VEGETABLES, DARK PORK JUS AND DAUPHINOISE POTATOES

STEVE REYNOLDS

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS Serves 4 2 pork tenderloins, sinews removed and cut in half 200g mixed dried fruits (eg prunes, apricots, sultanas), soaked overnight in water with sage leaves 200g pearl barley 2 pints chicken stock 400g mixed root vegetables (carrots, parsnips, celeriac, swedes), cut into batons

MATHEW SHROPSHALL

Serves 2 400g pork fillet 50g butter 35g flour ½ litre vegetable stock (approximately) 1-2 egg yolks 50ml dry sherry 4 tablespoons cream freshly picked thyme

1 small onion, finely diced

seasoning

25g butter

180g dauphinoise potatoes

100ml oil

20g dark pork jus

Make a hole through the middle of each tenderloin with a small knife. Chop up the dried fruits and stuff inside the pork. Seal the meat in a pan with a little oil and place in a medium oven for 20-25 minutes.

Remove and rest.

Cut the pork and season with salt and pepper.

Place the butter in a sauté pan and heat gently.

Add the pieces of pork and cover with a lid.

Cook gently on both sides without colouring, then mix in the flour and cook out carefully, still without colouring. Gradually mix in the stock and sherry.

Bring to the boil and skim.

In a saucepan, sweat off the onion in butter until softened. Add the pearl barley, cover with stock and simmer until the barley has also softened (add some extra water to the barley if required). Set aside.

Mix the yolks and cream in a basin. Remove the pork from the sauté pan and place in a clean pan.

Add oil to a roasting tray and fry off the vegetables, colouring on all sides. Season with salt and pepper and place in a high oven for 8-10 minutes, to achieve an even golden brown colour.

Pour a little boiling sauce onto the yolks and cream and mix well, then pour the mixture back into the sauce. Combine thoroughly but do not re-boil.

Correct the seasoning and pass through a strainer.

To serve Add the vegetables to the barley and spoon onto the plate. Slice the pork into 4-5 rings and place on top.

Serve with pork jus.

To serve Pour the strained sauce over the pork in the clean pan and reheat without boiling. Serve garnished with a pork crackling, dauphinoise potatoes, dark pork jus and oven-roasted thyme.

Full picture on page 29

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pork | winter

31

HONEY AND THYME GLAZED BELLY PORK, CASSOULET OF SMOKED BACON AND WHITE BEANS STEVE MUNKLEY Remove the bones and rind from the pork belly. Mix together the salt, pepper and thyme for the curing mixture, then weigh out 250g of the mixture for each belly. Massage the cure firmly into the pork then seal in a vac pac bag to macerate for 24 hours (alternatively cover and leave in the fridge). When ready, wash and dry the pork well.

Sauté the mirepoix in hot fat and deglaze the pan with red wine and chicken jus.

Transfer the mirepoix to a roasting tray and place the pork belly on top.

Pour over the red wine liquor, which should come half way up the pork, cover

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with tin foil and cook for 3-4 hours in a 250°C oven. Remove the pork from the cooking liquor and leave to drain for a few moments. Mix together the honey and sugar, pour over the cooked pork and glaze under the salamander.

Soak the haricot and butter beans in plenty of water overnight, then drain, rinse and blanch in boiling water until soft. Sauté a little chopped shallot and garlic without colour, add the lardons of dry cured bacon or air dried ham, then the beans, including the broad beans, the Savoy cabbage and finally the cream.

Simmer on the stove until the cream has

been almost completely absorbed, then finish with a drop of the pork cooking liquor.

To serve Place a timbale of hot saffron rice on the plate then place a spoonful of the bean cassoulet in front, and the sliced pork on top of the beans. Pour a little of the pork cooking liquor over and serve extra sauce on the side. Garnish with a bacon crisp.

INGREDIENTS Serves 10 curing mixture 750g sea salt 110g fresh thyme 20g cracked pepper 3kg belly pork, rind removed 250g curing mixture 1kg mirepoix 2 litres chicken jus

CHEF’S NOTE

250ml blossom honey

Once cooked and glazed, the pork can either be served immediately or pressed and cut evenly, to be reheated through a moist oven.

250g soft brown sugar 100ml red wine 100g white haricot beans 100g dried butter beans 100g flageolet beans 100g Savoy cabbage 150g finest quality dry cured bacon or air dried ham 50g finely chopped shallots pinch finely chopped garlic 100ml double cream 6 slices streaky bacon crisps 6 portions saffron rice

pork | winter

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REAL ALE TOAD IN THE HOLE, CREAMED SWEDE AND BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CARAMELISED RED ONION GRAVY DARREN CLEMMIT

BLACK PUDDING AND PORK LIVER PATÉ ALAN PATON INGREDIENTS

black pudding method 2

Serves 12

35g oatflakes 125g dried blood

500g minced pork belly 260g trimmed pig’s liver

50g caster sugar 100g dried mixed fruit or dried apples

black pudding method 1

75g pork back fat, small dice

INGREDIENTS

160ml pig’s blood

60ml cider vinegar

Serves 6

1 medium onion, diced

1 small sprig fresh sage, chopped

80g pork back fat, small dice

1 small sprig thyme, picked and chopped

30ml double cream

1 bay leaf

40g oatmeal, soaked overnight in

1 medium free-range egg, beaten

3 free range eggs 75g plain flour 150ml milk 150ml real ale pinch of salt 12 rare breed/free range pork sausages 12 slices of air dried ham 1 red onion 300ml gravy 250g swede 250g butternut squash 50ml single cream 50g lard

“As a Yorkshireman, I couldn’t resist including a traditional Yorkshire pudding dish! We use finest quality, herby sausages from our butcher (alternatively you could make your own) and York ham. There are some excellent air dried hams available now around the country. The beer in the batter is Yorkshire ale, of course!”

Heat the oven to 200°C. In standard 10cm Yorkshire pudding trays, melt the lard evenly in the oven. Whisk the eggs, real ale, flour and milk with a pinch of salt.

Wrap the sausages with the ham and pan fry until brown. Place in the Yorkshire puddings tins. Pour the batter mixture over and cook until the batter is brown and risen.

Chop the onion and caramelise with a knob of butter. Add the gravy and simmer.

Boil the swede and butternut squash until tender, drain and mash, adding the cream, and season.

100ml brandy, 100ml apple juice

salt, white pepper, pinch of mace

and 75ml water 30g barley, boiled in water for 40 minutes 100g diced prunes 1 egg, beaten

“Black pudding can feature on menus in a variety of ways at different times of year and is always popular.

Here it adds richness and extra interest to this pork paté. Making your own black pudding mixture isn’t difficult, allowing you to experiment with its flavour and providing a product that can be used and presented in a variety of ways.”

For the black pudding, method 1 Soften the onions in a quarter of the fat, making sure they don’t colour.

Add the rest of the fat and sweat slowly for 10 minutes, then add the oatmeal and cream and cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, stir over a gentle heat for 5 minutes, then set aside.

For the black pudding, method 2 Pour 250ml of hand-hot water into a bowl and stir in the oats and dried blood. Place all other ingredients except the seasoning into a pan.

Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, and reduce until thick.

Add this to the oats and blood mix.

Add in the egg, mix and season well with salt, pepper and mace, then set aside.

pork | winter

For the paté Mix together the minced pork belly and pig’s liver and put through the mincer on a medium plate. Mix this with the black pudding and place into a cling film-lined terrine mould.

Fold over excess cling film to cover, place a lid on the mould and wrap entirely in cling film. Put the mould in a roasting tray and pour warm water into the tray to a third of the way up the mould. Place in the oven and cook at 130°C for approximately 1 hour. Remove and chill overnight.

To serve Slice the paté and serve with a rich winter fruit chutney and warm brioche.

CHEF’S NOTE If fresh blood is unavailable for the black pudding, de-hydrated blood will do just as well.

Recipe pictured on page 36

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Black pudding and pork liver patĂŠ

Recipe on page 35

36

pork | winter

Passionate about pork To describe chef Alan Paton as a keen supporter of the pig industry would be something of an understatement. It was he, after all, who bravely added a one pound supplement to the menu price of each pork main course to raise money in support of the BPEX ‘Pigs Are Worth It!’ campaign - and saw his sales go through the roof.

Alan Paton East Anglia

From his Suffolk base, Alan has ready access to excellent quality pork and he is working closely with a free-range pork farmer and his experienced butcher to develop a range of innovative pork products. Visiting the farm allows Alan to see for himself the conditions in which the pigs are reared, and to understand how that affects the quality of the meat produced.

He advocates that, as far as possible, more chefs should establish links with the farms that produce their meat.

“I like to make the most of my ingredients. Using all parts of the pig not only offers cost benefits but also allows us to be really creative with my dishes, from terrines and home-made pork and black pudding sausages to home-made black pudding salami.”

Alan makes use both of standard cuts of pork, such as loin, and also the lesser used forequarter, which provides hugely versatile, cost effective cuts.

“Pork is such a fantastic ingredient and to ensure we continue to receive the quality assured pork that our customers come to expect, chefs must get behind the farmers.”

Alan’s advice to fellow chefs is to source produce, including their meat, as carefully as possible, visiting suppliers when they can, and to tell your customers about it. “Even I was surprised to see how much the public is genuinely interested in where my ingredients come from, and how supportive they have been of my own commitment to the BPEX campaign.”

“

Home-made black pudding fritters are one of Alan’s innovative pork products

I like to make the most of my ingredients.

Using all parts of the pig not only offers cost benefits but also allows me to be really creative with my dishes

”

Visiting the pig farm allows Alan to see for himself how the excellent conditions in which the pigs are reared affects the quality of the meat produced

spring March | April | May

Mathew Shropshall North West

Innovation, education and competition Mathew Shropshall could be described as three chefs in one, dividing his time between being a professional development chef, lecturing at one of the UK’s foremost catering colleges and leading the British Barbecue Team into competition around the world.

Whilst they are very different roles, Mat explains that a strong connection between them is ingredient quality. “Whether I’m creating food innovation for retailers, teaching catering students or cooking against the world’s best barbecue teams, using the best quality ingredients we can is key to good results.”

Mat has been a Chef Lecturer at the highly regarded University College Birmingham for over 10 years, overseeing JCA, NVQ, VRQ and BTEC qualifications. “We use pork a lot in the meat sections of the courses, as it is such a versatile, good value ingredient. It’s vital that the students understand where the meat comes from and the importance of good standards of animal welfare. We also cover butchery skills and the need for good specifications, and the relevance of all of this to meat quality, so our future chefs understand it’s not just about getting any old piece of meat out of the fridge!”

In his product development work too, Mat finds pork so often meets the brief. Being low in fat when properly butchered and trimmed, economical and ready to accept diverse flavour profiles, pork is an increasingly popular choice in retailer ready meals. “Today’s innovation for retailers is all about being on top of trends, and very conscious of retailers’ obligations to provide healthy eating solutions. Pork is a great protein to work with in this context. I understand that pork is the world’s most popular meat, so when it comes to ideas, there’s no shortage of inspiration from around the world.”

Swap the development kitchen for an outdoor wood-fired barbecue, and you’ll find Mat captaining his team and championing pork again. The international competition style of barbecuing is about long, slow cooking over indirect heat until the meat is very tender. “It’s all about flavour,” Mat explains, “which we add using dry rubs, juice injections (which also help to tenderise the meat) and glazes. One of our most popular dishes is ‘pulled’ collar of pork which, when cooked in foil on the barbecue for several hours, just pulls or shreds apart - delicious!”

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“

Pork is a great protein to work with. I understand that it’s the world’s most popular meat, so when it comes to ideas, there’s no shortage of inspiration

”

Crumbed pork liver, new season asparagus, hollandaise, beetroot purĂŠe

Recipe on page 42

pork | spring

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CRUMBED PORK LIVER, NEW SEASON ASPARAGUS, HOLLANDAISE, BEETROOT PURÉE

BRAISED PORK KNUCKLE WITH PUY LENTILS AND PARSLEY MASH

MATHEW SHROPSHALL

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS Serves 2

STEVE MUNKLEY

Serves 4 4 small salted pork knuckles 200g carrots, roughly chopped

400g pork liver, sliced 25g seasoned flour 1 free range egg 50g breadcrumbs, white or wholemeal

200g onions, roughly chopped 150g celery, roughly chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 sprig spring thyme 1 sprig bay leaf

for frying

6 black peppercorns, crushed

50g butter

200g Puy green lentils

rapeseed oil

200g brunoise of root vegetables

for finishing 50g butter

240g parsley mash pinch fecule

60ml jus-lie 200g asparagus tips

Puy green lentils

pea shoots 100g hollandaise sauce 150g beetroot purée 2 slices air dried ham, cooked to crisp wafers

Pané the pork liver slices, shaking off all surplus crumbs. Neaten and mark on one side with a palette knife. Heat the oil and butter in a sauté pan and gently fry the pork liver to a golden brown on both sides (6-8 minutes). Dress the liver onto a flat and keep warm.

To serve Plate the pork liver slices and mask with the remaining 50g of butter cooked to the nut-brown stage. Surround the pork with a cordon of jus-lie and garnish each slice with a neat bundle of asparagus spears (previously cooked, refreshed and reheated with a little butter). Pour over the hollandaise sauce, garnish with pea shoots, beetroot purée and air dried ham wafers.

Full picture on page 41

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Soak the pork knuckles in cold water for 24 hours, refreshing the water three times. Put the knuckles in a large pot and cover with fresh water. Add the carrots, onions, celery, bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns and garlic. Bring to boil and simmer for 3 hours, skimming off any impurities that appear on top.

Ladle about 1 litre of the cooking liquor from the pot into a separate pan and bring back to boil. Add the lentils and cook for about 10 minutes then add the brunoise of vegetables and cook until the lentils are tender – about another 5-10 minutes.

Heat up the mashed potatoes, adding a little rapeseed oil and the freshly chopped parsley at the last moment.

Strain about ½ litre of the pork cooking liquor into a pan and lightly thicken with fecule. Correct the seasoning and pass through a chinoise.

To serve Remove the rind from the knuckles. Either spoon or pipe the mash in the bowl. Place the drained pork knuckle on top of the mashed potatoes and rain over the lentils. Finish by pouring the thickened cooking liquor over the top.

pork | spring

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INGREDIENTS Serves 6-8 1 pig’s head, split 400g coarse rock salt 3 whole peeled carrots 2 peeled onions, halved 2 sticks of celery half a bulb of garlic 2 bay leaves 8 chicory bulbs 100g butter 400ml chicken stock

PRESSED PIG’S HEAD WITH BRAISED CHICORY STEVE REYNOLDS

“Though the preparation of the head requires some time, the process is straightforward and the result is a full-flavoured and versatile product that delivers excellent margins. We serve it in a variety of ways and it’s always a popular dish.”

Rub the salt into the pig’s head and leave overnight in the fridge. Next day, wash off the salt with cold water, place the head in a large pan with the vegetables and bay leaves and cover with fresh cold water. Cover the pan with tin foil, place in the oven and braise on a low heat around 120°C, for about 10 hours until the meat comes off the head easily. Leave for more time if required.

Once cooked, remove the head from the water and leave to cool slightly (not too much or the head becomes hard to handle). Cut off the ear and the snout, remove the brain and set aside. Peel off the skin, pull out the eyes and discard. Remove all the meat from the head, as well as some of the fat, and place in a bowl. Check for any bones, and break the meat and fat up with your fingers into ½cm pieces.

Chop up the ears and snout and add this to the mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Press the mixture into individual 3cm pastry rings, pushing down hard so the meat is compacted. Place in the fridge to set for at least 4 hours (maximum 24 hours).

Once set, remove the pastry rings. Fry the pig’s head cylinders in a little oil in a frying pan until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Place in a hot oven, 240°C, for 6-7 minutes (probe test that the meat is above 70°C). Drain on kitchen paper.

Cut the chicory in half lengthways. Melt the butter in a roasting tray, add the chicory and colour to a light golden brown on each side. Season with salt and pepper, pour on the stock and place in a high oven for 10-15 minutes, until the chicory starts to soften.

To serve Place the chicory on the plate, sit the pig’s head on top and spoon some of the cooking juice around.

pork | spring

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pork | spring

24 HOUR ROAST PORK SHOULDER WITH CARROT AND BUTTER BEAN STEW

PORK AND BEETROOT TART WITH DORSET BLUE CHEESE

DARREN CLEMMIT

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS Serves 6 2kg pork shoulder, boned, rolled and scored salt and pepper 2 tablespoon hemp oil 1 tablespoon fennel seeds 400g butter beans 300g Chantenay carrots 1 pint of chicken stock bunch of spring onions, chopped bunch of thyme, picked

TIM FLETCHER

Serves 8 pastry 25g butter 4-6 shallots, sliced 500g boneless leg of pork, cut into 15mm dice 30ml cider vinegar 100ml cider or apple juice 150ml stock 150ml soured cream Salt and black pepper 8 baby beetroots, freshly cooked and each cut into 4-6 pieces 8 shortcrust pastry tartlet cases, approximately 10cm diameter 100g Dorset Blue cheese

Heat the oven to 200°C. Salt the pork, rub with oil and sprinkle with fennel seeds. Roast for 30 minutes then lower the oven to 100°C and cook for 23½ hours. When cooked, remove the pork from the tray, add the stock and thyme to the fat and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain off the fat and add the carrots, spring onions and butter beans, and season. Cook for 15-20 minutes until the carrots are tender. Carve the pork and serve over the stew.

Curly kale makes a good accompaniment.

Dorset Blue cheese

Melt the butter and sauté the shallots until softened. Add the pork to the pan and brown. Stir in the cider vinegar, cider and stock.

Bring to the boil, cover, and then simmer for 30-40 minutes until the pork is tender.

Remove the cooked pork from the pan and keep warm. Boil the cooking liquor until reduced to about 100ml, then stir in the soured cream and season to taste. Mix the pork and cooked beetroot into the sauce.

Divide the pork mixture evenly between the pastry cases, crumble the blue cheese over and either grill or bake to heat through.

Full picture on page 48

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Pork and beetroot tart with Dorset Blue cheese

Recipe on page 47

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pork | spring

INGREDIENTS Serves 6-8 ham hock fritters 1 ham hock, weighing approximately 1100g (will yield approximately 500g - 600g of meat) 2 medium carrots 4 shallots 2 stick celery 2 small leeks 10 black peppercorns 3 sprigs of parsley 2 sprigs of sage the skin of 1 belly, with no pierce-holes in it, with a nice covering of fat flour, egg and panko (Japanese bread crumbs) or natural bread crumbs, for pané 1½ litres pork or vegetable stock egg 8 free-range eggs, separated, only yolks required herbs or micro-cress to garnish peas 720g fresh peas butter salt, to taste

HAM HOCK FRITTERS, EGG AND CRUSHED NEW SEASON PEAS ALAN PATON

“This take on ham and eggs is always popular whenever I’ve put it on menus. Diners who might not otherwise order hock are always impressed by the flavour and texture. You could serve a single fritter as a starter, or serve three as a more substantial main. The poached egg yolk provides the sauce.”

Prepare all the vegetables for mirepoix.

Lay out the pork skin in a roasting tray, and split the mirepoix and peppercorns between the ham hock in the pot and the roasting tray. Reserving 1 sprig of parsley for later use, divide the remaining herbs between the pot and the tray. Cover the ham with cold water, bring to a boil, skim, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

Skimming frequently, cook until the meat offers no resistance in pulling from the

bone (about 2¾ - 3 hours). Leave to cool in the liquor for 45 minutes, remove and keep loosely covered. Cover the skin with the stock, cover the tray with foil and braise at 145°C for approximately 3 hours, until the skin is soft and cooked through. Leave to cool in the liquor.

Remove the skin and fat from the hock, and take the meat from the bone, taking care to remove gristle and excess fat.

Place the meat in a mixing bowl.

Take 200ml of the ham stock and boil to reduce by half. Chop the remaining parsley and add to the meat with the reduced stock. Mix into the meat, breaking the meat down so that it is quite shredded. Cover the bowl and set aside. Lay out three layers of cling film onto a work surface, one on top of another, and smooth out. Carefully remove the cooked belly skin from the tray onto the cling film (taking care not to tear it).

Mould some ham in your hands and, squeezing gently, start at one end of the skin about 2cm in from the base and make one long sausage shape about 4cm diameter. Bring the edge of skin over the meat and gently tuck it under the ham.

Slice away the excess and set aside.

Roll up the filled skin quite tightly in cling film and chill for 3 hours or blast chill for 1 hour. Once well chilled, cut into 1cm slices, allowing 3 per portion.

Pass through seasoned flour, egg and crumb, then through egg and crumb once more. Store until required.

To serve Deep fry the fritters at 185°C for 3-5 minutes until deep-golden in colour.

Boil or steam the peas until just cooked, then lightly crush with a little butter and salt. Place the egg yolks in 80°C water for 35 seconds. Spoon the crushed peas onto the plate and top with the fritters.

Place the egg yolk in the centre.

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summer June | July | August

A lesson in imaginative cooking Tim Fletcher South West

Tim Fletcher’s menus read like those of a up-market bistro: vinegared chicken with capers and olives; thyme-baked Camembert; beef and beetroot with watercress dumplings. Yet these are the kind of dishes the fortunate pupils at a West Country state secondary school are treated to since he took over the school’s kitchen.

Tim’s emphasis is firmly on freshly prepared food (at least 90% of all the food is prepared on site), quality ingredients and menus which reflect seasonal availability. Fresh fruit and vegetables are delivered in daily as required from local suppliers, and fresh meat and eggs are also sourced locally.

The kitchen makes as much of its own food from scratch as possible, from baking its own bread to making its own stock.

BEECHEN CLIFF SCHOOL

His eclectic background and experience, including fine dining, a period of working in Australia and research and development for a variety of prestigious clients, fuels Tim’s desire to offer pupils a dining experience of quality and diversity. “I see our role as much more than just providing ‘fuel’ for the pupils” he says. “We have a great opportunity to educate the youngsters about food too – from introducing them to different dishes, to an understanding of local supply and seasonality, and of course the importance of healthy eating and good nutrition.”

“

Because pork is so versatile, it’s always popular: I have at least one pork dish on the menu every week

”

Tim’s imaginative approach means that even ingredients such as wild garlic, which grows in profusion near the school, will turn up on menus in season

52

Initiatives such as ‘try before you buy’ options and theme days encourage the children to try something new and broaden their diets, and the pupils are regularly consulted for their opinion of the school catering. Tim makes sure that information about the food and his suppliers is available for the pupils too.

Pork has a regular place on Tim’s menus.

“Because pork is so versatile, it’s always popular” he says, “so I have at least one pork dish on every week. It may be a casserole or roast pork in the autumn and winter, a schnitzel or scotch egg in the warmer months. Gammon, ham and bacon are always popular too.” The kitchen’s pork is reared in the Mendip hills, and sourced from a small family farm which also butchers the meat.

For Bristol-born Tim sourcing such pork makes perfect sense.

INGREDIENTS Serves 10 pork fillet 1kg pork fillet plain flour 1 egg, beaten 200g roughly chopped (almost ground) walnuts salad 500g mixed summer salad leaves 150g fresh raspberries

WALNUT-CRUSTED PORK FILLET, SUMMER LEAF SALAD, WALNUT BREAD CROUTONS, RASPBERRY VINAIGRETTE TIM FLETCHER

dressing 50ml raspberry vinegar 100ml rapeseed oil

Roll the fillet in the flour, dip in beaten egg and coat with the crushed walnuts.

Wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 2-3 hours.

pinch of sugar

Make the dressing by whisking together the oil and vinegar. Season.

to taste, salt and cracked

Bake the croutons until crispy. Wash and dry the lettuce and toss together with the raspberries.

black pepper croutons 1 medium loaf of walnut bread, cubed 200ml rapeseed oil

To serve Roast the pork at 180째C and allow to rest. Plate the lettuce and raspberries and drizzle over the dressing. Top with slices of pork and scatter over the croutons.

pork | summer

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pork | summer

PORK COLLAR DAUBE, SUMMER VEGETABLES AND CIDER

JELLIED HAM KNUCKLE, PICCALILLI AND WATERCRESS

ALAN PATON

DARREN CLEMMIT

INGREDIENTS

INGREDIENTS

Serves 4

Serves 10-12

pork collar

summer vegetables

ham knuckles

960g pork collar (weight when

12 asparagus spears, trimmed

3 ham knuckles

cleaned of excess fat and gristle),

and blanched

1 carrot, peeled

cut into 12 x 80g pieces and tied

200g peas, blanched.

1 celery stick

(or use 2 meat bands per piece)

150g podded broad beans,

½ onion

4 carrots 5 shallots 2 small leeks 3 sticks of celery 8 black peppercorns 1 litre white pork stock 1 litre semi-sweet cider 2 sprigs fresh parsley 75ml rapeseed oil

blanched and de-skinned 12 baby carrots, lightly scrubbed and blanched 12 baby turnips, peeled and blanched 12 pieces of turned courgettes, very lightly blanched 4 purple potatoes cooked in their skin, peeled and sliced ½cm thick fresh herbs

2 cloves thyme 3 peppercorns chopped fresh parsley piccalilli 1 cauliflower – broken into small florets 1 onion chopped 1 red pepper diced 1 cucumber diced 100g flour

Prepare the vegetables into mirepoix. Season the pork, heat the oil in a large pan or tray, and seal the meat all over (don’t crowd the pan or the pork will not colour well or evenly). Add the vegetables, herbs, peppercorns, cider and stock to the pan with the sealed pork. Bring up to simmering point, cover and cook in the oven until the pork is cooked through, about 1¾ hours at 150°C. Once cooked, leave to cool in the liquor for approximately 2 hours.

Remove the pork from the cooking liquor, set aside, cool and refrigerate. Strain and chill the stock overnight.

To serve Take the stock from the fridge, remove the fat from the surface and decant the stock from the container, leaving the sediment behind. De-band the pork, place in a tray and cover with 300ml of stock. Cover with foil and place in the oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes until the pork is heated through. Reduce the remainder of the stock to 450ml and set aside. Heat the vegetables through either by steaming or through the stock.

Divide the pork between plates, garnish with the vegetables, spoon over the reduced stock and finish with picked herbs.

50ml English mustard 400ml white wine vinegar to serve, watercress

“Pork knuckle (hock) is an extremely versatile and economical cut which tends to be under-rated and under-used, or thought of as a cold weather dish. Using it in a terrine makes for a light and highly profitable summer dish. We’re fortunate to have excellent watercress grown almost literally on our doorstep; its peppery freshness is perfect with the ham.”

Bring the ham knuckles to the boil then add a cup of cold water (this will help bring the scum to the surface). Remove the scum and simmer for 3-4 hours.

Once cooked, remove and cool the knuckles, reserving the stock. Flake the ham into a terrine dish, cover with stock and mix in the parsley. Leave overnight in the fridge to set.

CHEF’S NOTE To make plating up faster, portion the vegetables on the tray before heating through.

To make the piccalilli, sprinkle the vegetables with sea salt and leave overnight in the fridge. Mix together the flour and mustard. Bring the vinegar to the boil, add the flour and mustard and cook for 15 minutes. Cool, then mix in the vegetables and place into sterilised jars.

To serve Serve sliced terrine with piccalilli and a sprig of watercress.

Recipe pictured on page 56

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Jellied ham knuckle, piccalilli and watercress Recipe on page 55

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pork | summer

ROAST RACK OF PORK, PLUM AND APPLE STUFFING, ARMAGNAC JUS STEVE MUNKLEY Rack of pork Carefully remove the rind from the pork loin, leaving a good layer of fat.

Now remove a layer of fat in one piece like paper. Clean all the remaining fat and sinew from the loin, leaving just the meat connected to the bones. Scrape the rib bones clean of all sinew and fat, as for a rack of lamb. Next, remove chine bone to leave the finished rack of pork.

(If the fat is a little thick it may be necessary to bat out the pork fat until very thin.)

Mix together the diced plums, apple, chives, chicken mousse and seasoning.

Cut the pork fat to the length of the pork rack. Lay out a piece of cling film, place the thin slice of fat onto it and spread the mousse mixture over the top. Pick up the mousse-spread fat using the cling film and attach to the back of the pork rack. Remove the cling film and wrap the whole joint of meat in caul fat and then a piece of netting (this is important to retain the filling).

Dauphinoise potatoes Put the double cream, garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg on the stove to infuse for about 20 minutes. (At this point you can either strain the cream or use with garlic bits in.) Add the potatoes to the pan and cook until just soft, then stir in the fecule. Choose a baking tray that will give a depth of approximately 5-6cm when all the potatoes are in. You may wish to line this tin with parchment paper or just grease the base and sides.

Fill with potatoes, then top with cheese.

Bake in a hot oven for about 40 minutes making sure the cheese does not burn.

You could serve hot from the oven or press overnight then cut out a specific shape and reheat in the oven.

To serve Roast the pork in a hot oven at about 185°C for approximately 45 minutes until cooked. Rest before cutting. Cut into 6 cutlets and serve with dauphinoise potatoes, green vegetable panache and the Armagnac jus.

INGREDIENTS Serves 6 1 loin of pork, cutlet bone end chicken mousse (200g chicken, 200ml cream, ½ egg white) 50g diced fresh plums 50g soaked dried apples pinch chopped chives seasoning caul fat Armagnac pork jus for the dauphinoise potatoes 900g peeled potatoes, sliced 2mm thick 200ml double cream 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 110g grated cheese (Emmental, Gruyére or a mozzarella / Cheddar mix) 7g fecule salt, pepper and nutmeg 6 portions green vegetable panache (sliced baby courgettes, runner beans, fresh peas, asparagus, broad beans)

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GRILLED DEVILLED PORK LOIN, PEA PURÉE, ARTICHOKE FOAM AND MINTED GARDEN POTATOES MATHEW SHROPSHALL INGREDIENTS Serves 2 400g pork loin - escalope 1 tablespoon English mustard cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons vinegar 25g white breadcrumbs 25g blossom honey garnish 200g pea purée 50g artichoke foam 200g minted new potatoes beetroot syrup dressed pea shoots red basil seasoning

“Most people think of barbecuing as a fairly rustic, uncontrolled form of cooking but, properly done, it’s actually as skilled a method as any other and of course one of our earliest ways of cooking meat.

It’s true that whatever you can cook on a barbecue, you can also cook over a grill, under a salamander or in an oven; but the wood or coals and smoke of a barbecue add a special flavour that’s just unachievable any other way.”

Combine all the ingredients, except the crumbs. Season the pork with salt and milled pepper. Brush with oil or melted butter and place on the pre-heated, oiled grill bars of a barbecue. Grill the pork for approximately 15-20 minutes on each side, brushing frequently with melted fat during cooking. About 5 minutes before each side of the pork is cooked, brush liberally with the devilled mixture, sprinkle with crumbs and complete the grilling.

To serve Serve garnished with pea purée, artichoke foam, minted garden potatoes, dressed pea shoots and red basil.

CHEF’S NOTE You could also serve with a pot of warm barbecue sauce with a shot of whisky stirred in.

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LOIN OF PORK, SMOKED JERSEY ROYAL POTATOES AND CRISPY PIG’S EAR SALAD STEVE REYNOLDS INGREDIENTS Serves 8 1 loin of pork, French trimmed, chine bone removed, skin scored 600g Jersey Royal potatoes 200g smoked butter oil salt 284ml cider 1135ml pork stock 4 cooked pig’s ears, and flour to dust 800g mixed salad leaves bunch of curly parsley, washed and picked 1 teaspoon of capers vinaigrette

Jersey Royal potatoes

“Pig’s ear salad is a regular on our menus, and a popular accompaniment.

The loin is best served slightly pink, so we probe it to check (68°C) before slicing. The smoked butter on the potatoes adds a subtle extra dimension (we smoke our own, but it’s widely available).”

Season the loin and brush with oil. Place in a medium oven and roast for 20-25 minutes per 450g (just before it’s ready, turn up the oven to high to crisp the crackling). Remove and leave to rest. Pour off the fat from the roasting tray, deglaze with cider, add the stock and reduce by half.

Set aside.

Boil the Jersey Royals, then toss in the smoked butter and chopped parsley. Thinly slice the ears, dust in flour and deep fry in hot oil until crispy, stirring to prevent them sticking together.

Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels.

To serve Place a spoonful of potatoes on the plate. Cut a slice off the loin, place on top of the potatoes and spoon the warmed sauce around. Toss the salad with the capers, parsley and vinaigrette, together with the crispy ears, and serve on the side.

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pork | summer

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What’s best, when?

Because pork is such a year-round, versatile meat, it partners seasonal vegetables and fruits perfectly. The chart in the back of this book shows which fresh produce are in season and at their best in each month of the year and should be a useful reference when planning seasonal menus and recipes or talking to your produce suppliers.

Please remember that, whatever the time of year, there should always be a place on the menu for pork.

Through the publication of ‘Pork... the Meat for All Seasons’ BPEX hopes to inspire chefs to use more pork on the menu throughout the year. We’re always pleased to hear directly from chefs, so if you have a particular favourite menu item that uses pork and seasonal produce please tell us about it!

Contact us by e-mail at foodservice@bpex.org.uk. We may well wish to feature it in future publications.

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autumn

winter

spring

summer

A guide to seasonal produce autumn VEGETABLES AUBERGINE

ASPARAGUS

Sept

Oct

•

•

winter

Nov Dec

Jan

spring

Feb

Mar

Apr •

BEANS:

summer

May

•

BROAD DWARF / FRENCH RUNNER / FLAT BEETROOT

CALABRESE

•

• •

• •

• • •

•

BRUSSELS SPROUTS CABBAGE: SUMMER & AUTUMN RED SAVOY SPRING GREEN WINTER WHITE CALABRESE CARROTS CAULIFLOWER CELERY

• • • • • • • • •

• • • • • • •

• • • •

CELERIAC CHICORY COURGETTE CUCUMBERS ENDIVE FENNEL GARLIC

• • • • • •

LEEKS

Aug

•

•

•

•

•

• • •

•

• •

• • •

• •

• what’s in season

• • • • • • • •

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•

•

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•

•

•

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•

• •

• •

•

• •

• •

•

• •

•

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•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

• •

•

what’s at its best

•

•

•

•

• •

• •

•

•

• • • •

•

• •

•

•

•

• •

•

• •

• •

• • •

KALE KOHLRABI

Jul

•

BROCCOLI: PURPLE SPROUTING

Jun

• • •

• • • •

• •

• •

•

• • •

•

•

• • •

• • • • •

•

•

•

• •

•

autumn VEGETABLES

Sept

Oct

winter

Nov Dec

Jan

spring

Feb

Mar

Apr

summer

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

• • • • •

•

•

•

LETTUCE: ICEBERG LITTLE GEM GLASSHOUSE TYPES MARROW MUSHROOMS

• • • • •

• • •

•

•

•

•

•

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•

• • •

•

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ONION: BULB SALAD PARSNIPS PEAS PEPPERS

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POTATO:

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MAIN CROP NEW

• •

PUMPKIN RADISHES SPINACH SQUASH SWEDE SWEETCORN WATERCRESS TOMATOES TURNIP

• • • • • • • •

• • • • • • •

•

• • •

•

• •

•

• •

•

• •

•

•

• •

• • •

FRUIT •

GOOSEBERRIES STRAWBERRIES

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•

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CHERRIES RASPBERRIES

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•

REDCURRANTS APPLES PEARS PLUMS BLACKBERRIES BLUEBERRIES

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• •

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•

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Know your potatoes

ACCORD

•

CARLINGFORD

•

CHARLOTTE DESIRÉE

•

HARMONY KING EDWARD

•

•

•

•

MARFONA

•

MARIS BARD MARIS PEER MARIS PIPER

•

NADINE OSPREY PREMIERE ROCKET

•

WILJA

•

HARMONY

NADINE KING EDWARD

•

•

• •

ROOSTER

OSPREY

CARLINGFORD

•

ROMANO

• ANYA

•

•

SANTÉ

MARIS PIPER

•

• •

ROOSTER SAXON

ACCORD

•

•

•

ROMANO

W ED PO GE TA S DA TO UP HI NO IS E

•

•

ANYA

PO TA TO

AL L

VARIETY OF POTATO

RO UN DE BO RS IL ED PO NE TA TO W ES PO TA TO M AS ES HE D PO RO TA AS TO T PO TA JA TO CK ET PO TA SA TO LA D PO TA CH TO IP ES S

Potatoes are an essential and versatile ingredient in any professional kitchen.

This information from The Potato Council should help you select the best varieties for your menus and store and cook potatoes in the best way.

MARFONA

• CHARLOTTE

SANTÉ

PREMIERE MARIS BARD

DESIRÉE

SAXON

ROCKET MARIS PEER

WILJA

Handling Potatoes

Stock Management

• Do not handle potatoes more often than is absolutely necessary – they bruise easily! Treat them as if they are eggs

• Order the best quality potatoes – buying lower value potatoes can be a false economy as damaged or green potatoes take far longer to prepare, give greater wastage and are more likely to lead to customer dissatisfaction

• Don’t use potatoes if they feel damp in the bag Storing Potatoes

• Check out with your supplier what varieties they have available

• Always keep your potatoes in a dry, frost-free place with good ventilation

• Order the right variety for your cooking purpose

• Use a maximum /minimum thermometer to ensure your storage area is above freezing

• Order the amount you need and in good time to ensure good stock rotation • Rotate your stocks every few days

• Store your potatoes ONLY between 5 - 10°C NEVER store them above or below this temperature

Cooking Tips

• Keep your potatoes away from strong smelling foodstuffs or chemicals

• Always peel potatoes as thinly as possible to avoid waste or even cook with skins on

• Clean your store area regularly

• Always cook even sized potatoes together to ensure even cooking

• Avoid storing potatoes in strong light – natural or artificial – as they will turn green

• Always cook potatoes in a minimum of water when boiling

• Keep potato stacks low (no more than 6 bags high) to avoid squashing and bruising Images courtesy of SASA

• Always test with a skewer or pointed knife to check if potatoes are cooked • Hot potatoes should be served immediately

Cover price ÂŁ20.00

BPEX is a Division of the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board