Pig Out

Continuing in the world of leftovers this week I cooked a slow roast pork shoulder joint and I made it last for 2 days as other leftover deliciousness.



The first day was Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall's lovely slow roast pork. Here is the recipe:

I only used a 1.8kg joint, as there were only two of us

1 tbsp fennel seeds
Finely grated zest of 2 small lemons
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
1 tsp freshly chopped thyme leaves
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp rapeseed oil
3-4 sprigs fresh thyme
2-3 bay leaves
1 boned shoulder of pork (about 2.5kg) – score the skin about 1cm apart (or get the butcher to do it)

Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas mark 7. With a pestle and mortar, roughly bash the fennel seeds. Mix them with the lemon zest, parsley, thyme leaves, a tablespoon of flaky sea salt and two teaspoons of black pepper. Mix into a paste with the oil.

If the pork is rolled and tied, remove the string. Place the joint skin-side down on a chopping board and rub two-thirds of the fennel mixture all over the meat. Turn it over and rub the rest into the skin, pushing it into the cuts. Rub a little extra sea salt into the skin, too. Roll the meat back up and tie with kitchen string in two or three places.

Lay the thyme sprigs and bay leaves in a roasting tray (use one that's not too big, so the juices don't burn), put the pork on top skin side-up, and roast for 30 minutes, until the skin has started to puff up and begun to look like crackling. Turn the heat to 140C/285F/gas mark 1, and roast for a further four to five hours, until the meat is very tender.

Turn the oven up to 190C/375F/ gas mark 5, and cook for a further 20 minutes or so, until the crackling crisps up. Transfer to a warm dish, rest for 20 minutes, then carve.

I served it with his amazing lemony potatoes, I only did enough potatoes for the two of us, the below recipe is for 6 people.

2kg King Edward or other roasting potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
Juice of 1 lemon
200ml chicken stock or white wine
2 small lemons, cut into wedges
8-10 garlic cloves, unpeeled and bashed
3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary
2-3 bay leaves
150ml rapeseed or olive oil (or fat from the pork joint)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp finely chopped parsley

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6. In a large bowl, mix the spuds with the lemon juice, stock or wine, lemon wedges, garlic, rosemary, bay leaves and oil or fat, and season.

Transfer to a roasting tin and cook for 50 minutes to an hour, shaking the tin a couple of times while they cook – they should be golden on the outside and fluffy in the middle. Sprinkle on a bit more salt and squeeze over the juice from a couple of the hot lemon wedges (serve the other wedges with the potatoes). Toss with parsley and serve.

Leftover day 1

We had some bacon to use up and I came across a recipe for an Hungarian Pork Goulash, which used pork shoulder and pork belly, and I thought hey let's improvise and use the bacon, which is pretty much the same thing!

Here is the original recipe by Lucas Hollweg:

1 tbsp olive oil, I used the oil from the jar of peppers

1.25kg boned shoulder of pork, in chunks I used half of the leftover joint approx 750g

280g pork belly into chunks I used a pack of smoked streaky bacon, about 12 rashers

1 onion finely chopped

2 garlic cloves finely diced

2tsp sweet smoked paprika

1/2tsp cayenne pepper

2tsp caraway seeds (I didn't have any, I don't think it made much difference!)

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2x400g tinned chopped tomatoes I only used one, topped the sauce up with tomato purée and water as I wasn't making the whole dish

320g jar of roasted peppers

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4/180C
Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof dish over a medium heat and brown the meat, then add the onion and garlic and sauté for 3mins. Add the spices and seasoning, mix and cook for about 4 mins. Pour in the tomatoes and add water to cover the meat bring to the boil and pop in the oven for 2 hours. Drain the peppers (i would save the oil it adds grat flavour when cooking!) cut into strips, add to the goulash, cook for another 30 mins. Serve with rice and sour cream or Creme fraiche or yoghurt.

Leftover day 2

I needed a spicy pick me up and fast, so a speedy stir fry seemed on the cards. When it comes to Chinese sauces, I have to admit I do buy the occasional one, especially Hoisin. So here's what I did:
Chopped up the remaining pork into dice, sort of mince if you will
Quartered 2 small pak choi
Diced up a 2cm piece of ginger
Sliced up a garlic clove
Cut up a de-seeded chilli
Take small florets off half a broccoli
2 nests of egg noodles, cooked to pack instructions
4 spring onions chopped up

Heat oil in a wok, add the ginger and spring onions and stir fry for about 1 minute. Add the meat, chilli and stir fry for 5 mins. Add the garlic, broccoli and pak choi stir fry for another minute. Add a couple of tbsp of hoisin sauce, drain the noodles and stir though until everything is piping hot.

A squeeze of lime and serve!

Enjoy!