Watch Neven's Portuguese Food Trails Wednesdays at 8.30pm on RTÉ One.
Ingredients
Serve 4-6
For the pork cheeks
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 6-8 pork cheeks
- 1 onion, peeled and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 200ml port
- 600ml beef stock (or chicken stock)
- 12 cloves
- 1 tbsp honey
- Sea salt and ground black pepper
For the sauce
- Reserved braising liquor
- 100ml port
- Sea salt
- 1 tsp cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
For the fragrant bulgar wheat
- 150g bulgar wheat, cooked according to packet instructions
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 60g dried apricots, diced
- 40g blanched pistachio nuts
- 40g flaked almonds
- 2 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
- Sea salt
- Flaked almonds, to serve
- Green beans, to serve
Method
For the pork cheeks
- Heat a heavy wide-based saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add the olive oil and season the pork cheeks.
- Add the pork cheeks to the saucepan and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side to seal and beginning to colour.
- Add the carrots, diced onion and garlic to the saucepan and mix to combine.
- Allow to vegetables to take on some colour and add in the herbs.
- Add in the port followed by the stock until the cheeks are covered by the liquid (add a little more stock if required).
- Add in the cloves and honey and stir to combine.
- Cover the saucepan with a lid, bring to the boil and reduce to a low simmer.
- Simmer for 2-2½ hours until the pork is cooked through and completely tender, turning every 25-30 minutes.
- After 2-2½ hours remove the pork cheeks from the braising liquor and strain off the vegetables, retaining the braising liquor.
For the sauce
- Return the braising liquor to the pot and bring to a high simmer.
- Add in the port and season to taste.
- Add in 1 tbsp of cornflour mix at a time and allow to cook out until a nice sauce consistency.
- Add in the chopped parsley and return the braised pork cheeks to the sauce and set aside.
- For the fragrant bulgar wheat.
- Heat a medium based non-stick frying pan with the olive oil.
- Add the diced apricots, pistachio's and flaked almonds to the pan.
- Mix well to combine.
- Add in the cooked bulgar wheat and mix well.
- Cook for 2-3 minutes until completely warmed through.
- Add in the chopped parsley and season with sea salt.
To serve
- Place a spoon of the fragrant bulgar wheat off centre on a serving plate.
- Add the pork cheek(s) on top followed by a sprinkle of flaked almonds.
- Serve with cooked green beans.
