Some of the best dishes you’re likely to taste in your life won’t necessarily win any beauty competitions, but this dish – born in the north of Italy – is without a doubt one of my most memorable. There’s something about the way the lactic acid in the milk breaks down the meat that makes it extra succulent, extra indulgent, and just so good! This is one of those surefire crowd-pleasers you keep in your special kitchen notebook for when you really want to spoil your nearest and dearest.
INGREDIENTS
TIME: 2 hours | SERVES: 4 – 6
1 Eskort pork neck, about 1,2 kg
30 ml olive oil
15 ml unsalted butter
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, sliced
2 large garlic cloves
2 leeks, halved
500 ml full cream milk
handful flat leaf parsley
6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
30 ml corn flour
METHOD
Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan.
Brown the pork neck in the saucepan, then take it out and leave to one side.
In the same saucepan, add the onion, carrot and garlic cloves. Fry until the onions is soft and translucent.
Place the pork neck on top of the vegetables and add the leeks, milk, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring the milk to a boil and reduce the heat. Close with a lid and let it simmer for 1 ½ hours.
Halfway through the cooking process, turn the neck around. At this stage you will see that the milk has curdled. (I didn’t photograph that step as it’s not the most photogenic part of the process, but believe me, the end result is amazing!)
After 1½ hours, take out the pork neck and bay leaves and keep to one side.
Pour the milk and all the vegetables in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Pass the mixture through a sieve and pour it into a saucepan.
Mix the corn flour with a little water into a smooth paste.
Heat the sauce in the saucepan and add the corn flour paste. Stir until thickened.
Slice the pork neck and serve with the sauce and sugar snap peas.
You can also serve this quick sweet mustard sauce on the side.
TIME: 30 minutes | SERVES: makes about 125 ml
50 g (60 ml) sugar
75 ml red wine vinegar
45 ml mustard powder
3 eggs
Place all ingredients in a saucepan and beat together with a balloon whisk.
Place on low heat and stir all the time till thick. It should be the consistency of custard.
Take immediately of the heat and spoon into a serving bowl.
This is sauce is delicious served cold
ESKORT BUTCHERIES ARE AVAILABLE IN GAUTENG, MPUMALANGA AND KWAZULU-NATAL. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT ESKORT ONLINE
ESKORT BUTCHERIES OPENING IN WESTERN CAPE SOON
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