THIS IS A RIFF, A DELICIOUS RIFF AT THAT, ON PORK CHEEKS WITH SPARKLING CIDER, PEARL ONIONS AND APPLES. THESE OVOID NUGGETS OF MEAT ARE PERFECT FOR BRAISING, UNIFORM IN SIZE, NEARLY DEVOID OF FAT AND PACKED WITH PORKY FLAVOR. I'VE HAD GOOD LUCK WITH DRIED WILD MUSHROOMS. (TRY WILD HARVEST FOODS IN OREGON.) SOAKED IN WARM WATER, MORELS, WHICH ARE THE KING OF WILD MUSHROOMS, YIELD A FLAVOR-PACKED BROTH, WHICH HOLDS UP WELL TO COOKING. LEEKS, A FEW CLOVES OF GARLIC, WHITE WINE, MOREL BROTH, AND CRÊME FRAÎCHE PRODUCES A RICH AND COMPLEX STEW WITH THE CIPOLLINI ADDED AT THE END. I WAS SO PLEASED WITH THE RESULT THAT I PROMISE TO TRY MORE VARIATIONS ON THIS WONDERFUL CUT IN FUTURE.
DUMP THE DRIED MORELS INTO A BOWL AND COVER WITH WARM WATER BY 1 INCH.
HEAT 3 TBPS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A DUTCH OVEN. DRY THE PORK CHEEKS WITH PAPER TOWELS AND BROWN IN THE CASSEROLE. REMOVE TO A PLATE. SALT AN PEPPER.
MEANWHILE, FILL THE SINK WITH COLD WATER. BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, SLICE JUST A SLIVER OFF BOTH ENDS OF THE ONIONS. DUMP THEM INTO THE BOILING WATER. WHEN IT RETURNS TO THE BOIL, BOIL FOR 1 MINUTE, THEN DRAIN AND DUMP INTO THE SINK FULL OF COLD WATER. THE ONIONS SHOULD SLIP OUT OF THEIR SKINS EASILY.
POUR OFF MOST OF THE FAT IN THE DUTCH OVEN. MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN THE POT, THEN ADD THE ONIONS. SALT AND SPRINKLE WITH 1 TSP OF SUGAR. SAUTÉ THE ONIONS TILL THEY ARE LIGHTLY BROWNED. REMOVE TO A BOWL.
STRAIN THE MORELS OVER A BOWL AND RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER. LINE THE STRAINER WITH PAPER TOWELS AND STRAIN THE MOREL BROTH TO REMOVE ANY GRIT. RETURN THE MORELS TO THE BOWL WITH THE BROTH.
TRIM THE LEEK AND CUT LENGTHWISE IN HALF. RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER. CUT THE LEEK CROSSWISE INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES. TRIM AND PEEL 2 GARLIC CLOVES. SLICE INTO THIN SLIVERS.
PLACE THE DUTCH OVEN OVER A LOW FLAME. STIR IN THE LEEKS AND GARLIC. COVER AND COOK FOR A MINUTE OR SO, JUST ENOUGH TO SOFTEN THE LEEKS.
ADD THE PORK CHEEKS TO THE POT. POUR IN A CUP OF WHITE WINE. REDUCE BY HALF. ADD THE MORELS AND THEIR BROTH. BRING TO A BOIL, THEN STIR IN A CUP OF CRÊME FRAÎCHE.
REDUCE HEAT TO A BARE SIMMER. PLACE THE LID ON THE DUTCH OVEN SLIGHTLY AJAR. SIMMER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, TURNING OVER THE CHEEKS IN THE LIQUID. IF IT REDUCES TOO MUCH, COVER THE POT COMPLETELY WITH THE LID. THE CHEEKS ARE DONE WHEN EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP KNIFE.
FOLD IN THE ONIONS. COVER AND SIMMER FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE ONIONS ARE A TAD UNDERDONE.
CHOP A BUNCH OF CHIVES AND SCATTER ON TOP.
SERVE WITH STEAMED RICE (SEE BELOW).
SERVES 4-6 (ABOUT 2 CHEEKS PER PERSON)
BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY.
STIR IN A CUP OF RICE. KEEP STIRRING FOR ABOUT A MINUTE SO THE GRAINS DON'T STICK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POT.
TAKE A CLEAN CLOTH NAPKIN OR DISH TOWEL, SOAK UNDER RUNNING WATER AND WRING DRY. LINE A SERVING BOWL WITH THE DAMP CLOTH.
BOIL THE RICE FOR ABOUT 6 MINUTES OR UNTIL IT IS SLIGHTLY UNDERDONE, CHEWY.
DRAIN THE RICE IN A STRAINER AND RUN COLD WATER THROUGH IT TO STOP THE COOKING AND REMOVE THE STARCH.
DUMP THE RICE INTO THE BOWL WITH THE CLOTH. SHOVE 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER INTO THE CENTER AND FOLD OVER THE CLOTH TO COVER.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SERVE, STICK THE BOWL IN A MICROWAVE OVEN AND NUKE IT FOR 3 MINUTES. GENTLY TUG THE CLOTH FROM THE RICE, LEAVING THE COOKED RICE IN THE BOWL.
Ingredients
Directions
DUMP THE DRIED MORELS INTO A BOWL AND COVER WITH WARM WATER BY 1 INCH.
HEAT 3 TBPS OF VEGETABLE OIL IN A DUTCH OVEN. DRY THE PORK CHEEKS WITH PAPER TOWELS AND BROWN IN THE CASSEROLE. REMOVE TO A PLATE. SALT AN PEPPER.
MEANWHILE, FILL THE SINK WITH COLD WATER. BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. USING A VERY SHARP KNIFE, SLICE JUST A SLIVER OFF BOTH ENDS OF THE ONIONS. DUMP THEM INTO THE BOILING WATER. WHEN IT RETURNS TO THE BOIL, BOIL FOR 1 MINUTE, THEN DRAIN AND DUMP INTO THE SINK FULL OF COLD WATER. THE ONIONS SHOULD SLIP OUT OF THEIR SKINS EASILY.
POUR OFF MOST OF THE FAT IN THE DUTCH OVEN. MELT 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER IN THE POT, THEN ADD THE ONIONS. SALT AND SPRINKLE WITH 1 TSP OF SUGAR. SAUTÉ THE ONIONS TILL THEY ARE LIGHTLY BROWNED. REMOVE TO A BOWL.
STRAIN THE MORELS OVER A BOWL AND RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER. LINE THE STRAINER WITH PAPER TOWELS AND STRAIN THE MOREL BROTH TO REMOVE ANY GRIT. RETURN THE MORELS TO THE BOWL WITH THE BROTH.
TRIM THE LEEK AND CUT LENGTHWISE IN HALF. RINSE UNDER RUNNING WATER. CUT THE LEEK CROSSWISE INTO 1/2-INCH PIECES. TRIM AND PEEL 2 GARLIC CLOVES. SLICE INTO THIN SLIVERS.
PLACE THE DUTCH OVEN OVER A LOW FLAME. STIR IN THE LEEKS AND GARLIC. COVER AND COOK FOR A MINUTE OR SO, JUST ENOUGH TO SOFTEN THE LEEKS.
ADD THE PORK CHEEKS TO THE POT. POUR IN A CUP OF WHITE WINE. REDUCE BY HALF. ADD THE MORELS AND THEIR BROTH. BRING TO A BOIL, THEN STIR IN A CUP OF CRÊME FRAÎCHE.
REDUCE HEAT TO A BARE SIMMER. PLACE THE LID ON THE DUTCH OVEN SLIGHTLY AJAR. SIMMER FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, TURNING OVER THE CHEEKS IN THE LIQUID. IF IT REDUCES TOO MUCH, COVER THE POT COMPLETELY WITH THE LID. THE CHEEKS ARE DONE WHEN EASILY PIERCED WITH A SHARP KNIFE.
FOLD IN THE ONIONS. COVER AND SIMMER FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR UNTIL THE ONIONS ARE A TAD UNDERDONE.
CHOP A BUNCH OF CHIVES AND SCATTER ON TOP.
SERVE WITH STEAMED RICE (SEE BELOW).
SERVES 4-6 (ABOUT 2 CHEEKS PER PERSON)
BRING A POT OF WATER TO A BOIL. SALT GENEROUSLY.
STIR IN A CUP OF RICE. KEEP STIRRING FOR ABOUT A MINUTE SO THE GRAINS DON'T STICK TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POT.
TAKE A CLEAN CLOTH NAPKIN OR DISH TOWEL, SOAK UNDER RUNNING WATER AND WRING DRY. LINE A SERVING BOWL WITH THE DAMP CLOTH.
BOIL THE RICE FOR ABOUT 6 MINUTES OR UNTIL IT IS SLIGHTLY UNDERDONE, CHEWY.
DRAIN THE RICE IN A STRAINER AND RUN COLD WATER THROUGH IT TO STOP THE COOKING AND REMOVE THE STARCH.
DUMP THE RICE INTO THE BOWL WITH THE CLOTH. SHOVE 2 TBSPS OF BUTTER INTO THE CENTER AND FOLD OVER THE CLOTH TO COVER.
WHEN YOU'RE READY TO SERVE, STICK THE BOWL IN A MICROWAVE OVEN AND NUKE IT FOR 3 MINUTES. GENTLY TUG THE CLOTH FROM THE RICE, LEAVING THE COOKED RICE IN THE BOWL.