Pig Cheeks with Pearl Barley Risotto

Slow-cooked, tender pig cheeks glazed with cider and maple syrup, served over a creamy, herb-infused pearl barley risotto. Topped with salsify and drizzled with parsley oil, this dish is pure comfort on a plate!

Ingredients

For the pig cheeks

2kg pig cheeks
2 tbsp plain flour
25g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onions peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 leek sliced
1 carrot chopped
250ml cider
500ml beef stock
2 sprigs thyme, few sprigs rosemary
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp grain mustard
25g butter
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tbs maple syrup

For the risotto

300g pearl barley cooked and drained
Knob of butter
15g plain flour
150ml milk
100ml double cream
50g grated parmesan
50g parsley puree
15g garlic puree
1 lemon zest only

To serve

Parsley oil
Salsify cooked in maple and lemon
Onion ash

Method

Print Recipe

Toss the pork with the flour, salt and black pepper.
Heat a large sauté pan until hot splash in the olive oil add the pork and fry until browned on each side.
Add the cider and beef stock to the fry pan and bring to a simmer pour over the meat and add the rest of the ingredients.
Add the herbs and veg then cover and cook on a low heat for 2 hours until tender and just thickened. Drain off the cooking liquid and reduce to a ¼, stir through mustard and to finish a splash of maple syrup, butter, sherry vinegar and pop the cheeks back in and glaze.

To make the risotto make a bechamel with the butter flour milk and cream stir through the parsley puree and garlic puree add the cooked pearl barley finish with parmesan and lemon zest. Heat all the ingredients together until bubbling season.
To serve spoon the barley onto plates top with a pig cheek spoon over sauce drizzle over parsley oil top with powder dot around salsify.

Ingredients

For the pig cheeks

2kg pig cheeks
2 tbsp plain flour
25g butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onions peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 leek sliced
1 carrot chopped
250ml cider
500ml beef stock
2 sprigs thyme, few sprigs rosemary
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp grain mustard
25g butter
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 tbs maple syrup

For the risotto

300g pearl barley cooked and drained
Knob of butter
15g plain flour
150ml milk
100ml double cream
50g grated parmesan
50g parsley puree
15g garlic puree
1 lemon zest only

To serve

Parsley oil
Salsify cooked in maple and lemon
Onion ash

Method

Toss the pork with the flour, salt and black pepper.
Heat a large sauté pan until hot splash in the olive oil add the pork and fry until browned on each side.
Add the cider and beef stock to the fry pan and bring to a simmer pour over the meat and add the rest of the ingredients.
Add the herbs and veg then cover and cook on a low heat for 2 hours until tender and just thickened. Drain off the cooking liquid and reduce to a ¼, stir through mustard and to finish a splash of maple syrup, butter, sherry vinegar and pop the cheeks back in and glaze.

To make the risotto make a bechamel with the butter flour milk and cream stir through the parsley puree and garlic puree add the cooked pearl barley finish with parmesan and lemon zest. Heat all the ingredients together until bubbling season.
To serve spoon the barley onto plates top with a pig cheek spoon over sauce drizzle over parsley oil top with powder dot around salsify.