THIS week's recipes are celebrating our local meat. Northern Ireland exports so much beef and pork but you can be hard pressed to find it on our supermarket shelves. With the upsurge in farm shops and markets it is great to get out and about and pick up local produce from the producer themselves.
First is a recipe for Peter Hannan's delicious ox cheek with cabbage and kale. Kale is one the most talked about superfoods being rich in fibre and is also a great accompaniment to any meat dish. Pork belly is one of the best meals to enjoy – when cooked properly – and this second recipe uses McIvor's cider and pears, which go really well together.
Our next free cookery demonstration at the the end of February will have both these dishes as tasters as we celebrate LoveLocal month as part of the NI Year of Food and Drink. Check our website for details.
Hannan's of Moira ox cheek with kale and pickled red cabbage
3 ox cheeks, trimmed of all fat
Broighter Gold rapeseed oil
2 litres beef stock
30 ml red wine
2 onions, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
1 leek, washed and chopped
2 sticks celery, washed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bay leaves
1 sprig thyme
10 black peppercorns
2 star anise
1 tsp fennel seeds
Salt and pepper
Start by seasoning the ox cheek with salt and pepper. With some rapeseed oil in a pan, brown the cheek until coloured on all sides, then remove. Add root vegetables to the pan and cook until golden brown, add cheeks and red wine and reduce liquid by half. Next add the stock, herbs and season to taste. Cook for four hours on a low simmer with the lid on, checking every 30 minutes and turning the cheeks regularly. Once cooked, remove and allow to cool.
Pickled Red Cabbage
1 small red cabbage, shredded
150ml red wine vinegar
150ml water
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 small apples cored and thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
Sea salt
Black pepper
In a large pan, heat the olive oil and add the red onions and garlic and cook until soft and starting to colour. Add the red cabbage and fry for a further 5 minutes, then add the vinegar, water and brown sugar and cook until all dissolved. Simmer with a lid on for 25 minutes.
For the kale
300g kale
Salt and pepper
10g butter
Wash off the kale and pick from the stem. Place into boiling water for 30 seconds, drain. Place the butter in a pan and add the drained kale and cook for 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Pork Belly with Pear and Cider
For the Pork Belly Marinade
2kg pork belly
25g rosemary, picked
25g thyme, picked
2 bulbs garlic, skin on and roughly chopped
6 tbsp Maldon sea salt
2 tbsp black pepper, crushed
5 bay leaves
2kg duck fat
Place rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, star anise, bay leaves and garlic in a bowl and mix vigorously to get the natural oils released. Place pork belly on a roasting tin and rub herb mix into the skin. Wrap in cling film and place in fridge for 24 hours. Heat oven to 220 degrees and brush off the herbs and salt (do not wash). At this stage, portion your pork belly to fit into a casserole dish or any oven proof dish with a lid.
Put duck fat into the casserole dish and melt on hob. Once melted, place pork belly into fat, ensuring that all pieces are covered with the fat. Be careful as the fat will be very hot. Once all pork belly is in the dish, bring to a light simmer on hob, and once reached, put the lid on and place on middle shelf of the oven. Cook for three hours.
Once cooked, carefully remove dish from oven. Remove pork belly and place on roasting tray, cover with greaseproof paper and place another tray on top to ensure they stay flat. Leave to flatten for approximately three hours in a cool place. Once complete, place in fridge until ready to use. When other elements are ready, remove from fridge and place in a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes at 220 degrees until golden. Remove and place on tissue paper to remove excess oil, and season with salt and pepper.
McIvor's Cider Poached Pears
350ml dry cider
100ml water
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
4 pears, peeled, cored and quartered
1 sprig thyme
1 sprig sage
2 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 litre chicken stock
Place the cider in a pot and add the water, caster sugar and herbs and place on the hob on a gentle heat until sugar dissolves. Add quartered pears and poach gently in the liqueur for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the pears, and leave to side. With the remaining liquid, turn heat up and boil until it is reduced by half. Add the chicken stock and reduce by ¾.
To serve, place pork belly on plate, with pears on the side and dress with the chicken and cider stock.
