Robert's pork cheeks

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 1.4 kg pork cheeks (pre-order from your trusted butcher)
• 6 tbsp rapeseed oil
• Caraway seeds
• Paprika powder, smoked, mild
• Sea salt, from the mill
• 12 shallots, peeled, whole
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed
• 200 ml Madeira
• 200 ml port wine
• 6 stalks of tarragon
• 8 stalks of savory
• 8 stalks thyme, fresh
• 400 ml vegetable stock
• 400 ml veal stock
• 400 g mushrooms, cleaned, halved, quartered, depending on size
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 bunch parsley, washed, only the lower stalks removed
• 16 small potatoes, peeled
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar, white
• e.g. horseradish (Kren), fresh, peeled, grated

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour 20 minutes; Total time approx. 2 hours 5 minutes

Braised dish for gourmets

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Wash the pork cheeks, pat dry, and season with paprika, salt, and caraway. Heat the oil in a casserole dish and sear the cheeks until crispy. Make sure there aren’t too many cheeks in the pan at once. When one is done, remove it from the pan and add the next. When they’re all done, add the shallots and garlic to the pan and brown briefly. Add the pork cheeks back in and deglaze with the Madeira. Loosen the pan juices. Reduce the Madeira by half, then add the port wine and reduce again by at least 50%. Then add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the remaining herbs. Place the dish in the oven. The cheeks will be tender and buttery in about an hour. Now prepare the mushrooms. Also the potatoes. Brown the mushrooms in a pan with the oil. 30 minutes before the end of cooking, add both to the casserole dish, along with the sprig of parsley. Stir and return to the oven. In the meantime, prepare the vegetables of your choice. When the potatoes are tender, add the balsamic vinegar and season to taste. To serve: Place two pork cheeks on a plate, arrange the potatoes and sauce around the sides, and, if desired, add another vegetable of your choice. My recipe picture shows beans. But I can also imagine broccoli or cauliflower. Sprinkle the fresh horseradish on the pork cheeks and serve immediately.