Caxton magazines staffRenowned chef Philippe Wagenfuhrer (082 085 2883) serves up a gourmet feast
INGREDIENTS
- 1 deboned shoulder of pork (1,5–2kg in size)
For the stuffing:
- 50ml olive oil
- 150g red onions, chopped
- 15g garlic, crushed
- 6 eggs
- 250g white bread, diced
- 100g parsley, chopped
- 1 small sprig rosemary, chopped
- 1 sprig of thyme, chopped
- 500g apples, peeled and quartered
- salt and pepper, to taste
For the sauce:
- 60ml Verjuice syrup
- 250ml beef stock
For the roasted sweet potato and guava:
- 800g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
- 30ml olive oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 semi-ripe guavas, diced
- 30ml parsley, finely chopped
For the ginger patty pans:
- 16 yellow patty pans
- 50g butter
- 10g fresh ginger, finely chopped
- 30g spring onions, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper
METHOD
To make the pork, stuffing and sauce:
1. To prepare the stuffing: heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onions and garlic over a moderate heat, until softened.
2. Trim some of the meat off the shoulder (about 1kg) and cut into a small dice, blitz in a food processor together with the eggs. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in the onion mixture and the bread, parsley, rosemary, thyme and apples. Season with salt and pepper and leave to rest for an hour.
3. Preheat the oven to 80°C.
4. Lay your pork on the table with the skin side down. Pour the stuffing in the centre and wrap up with the flanks. Cover with at least 10 layers of plastic wrap; it must be tight, forming a gigantic sausage shape. Place in a roasting pan and put it into the oven to cook overnight and until lunch the next day (at least 8 hours).
5. Once the meat is cooked, make the sauce. Deglaze the base of the roasting tray with the Verjus syrup and reduce until slightly thickened. Add the beef stock and reduce in a pot by a quarter of the volume. It must be liquid and transparent – not like a gravy.
6. Serve the pork in thick slices with the jus drizzled over the top.
To make the roasted sweet potato and guava:
1. Blanch the sweet potatoes in a little rapidly boiling salted water.
2. Pan-fry the potatoes in olive oil and, just before serving, season to taste and mix in the guava and parsley.
To make ginger patty pans:
1. Blanch the patty pans in a little rapidly boiling salted water. Drain.
2. Melt the butter in a pan, add the ginger, then stir in the patty pans and heat through. Add the spring onions just before serving. Season with salt and pepper.
Chef’s note: Any leftover pork can be used for days afterwards. I often served it cold just like ham.
Wine suggestion: A Syrah or Pinot Noir, such as Creation will make the perfect partner.
This recipe serves 8 – 10.
Pork and veg pictured with asparagus wrapped in prosciutto.
