SLOW-COOKED PORK CHEEKS
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 kg pork cheeks
- 2 dried onions
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 celery stalks
- 50g BBQ spice seasoning
- 100ml red wine
- 40g all-purpose flour
- 2 bay leaves
- 20g tomato paste
- 50ml olive oil
- 10g salt
- water (as much as you like)
INSTRUCTIONS:
We trim the cheeks of any excess fat, then marinate them with the spice mix, a little olive oil and salt. We add a bit of olive oil to a pot and sear the cheeks well on all sides. Once the develop colour, remove them from the heat and set them aside. Next, cut the vegetables into small, irregular pieces and sauté them in the same pot used for the meat, until they caramelized. Then, we add the flour and tomato paste, stirring well to releases the aromas of the paste. Return the cheeks to the pot, deglaze with red wine and allow them to cook. Once the wine has evaporated, we add enough water to cover the cheeks, along with the bay leaves. Lower the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 hours, until the cheeks are tender. During cooking, check occasionally and add more water if needed to help the cooking process. Once the cheeks are cooked, remove them from the pot and blend the remaining ingredients and cooking liquid together. Then, we strain the mixture to create a flavourful sauce.
