How do I make sense and adhere to all these claims and stay within my means or budget? My advice is to keep it real and to keep it simple. In my family, I started with milk, eggs and chicken. I make sure it comes from a reputable source.
I am delighted to know that I can now add pork to my list, because Food Lover’s Market is now selling pork that is a high quality South African product.
Pork 360 is your guarantee that:
I have been wanting to make pork rillettes for such a long time, but the minute I take the slow-roasted pork out of the oven, my resistance crumbles and so does the prospects of making rillettes. Pork rillettes is made with heavily salted pork which is cooked slowly in fat until it is tender enough to be easily shredded. The meat is then cooled with enough of the fat to form a paste. It is served with bread as a rustic paté. I made my rillette with fatty pork belly, but pork shoulder is also perfect.
This rustic paté can last in the fridge for weeks, because it is preserved in the fat. Trust me it never lasts that long. With the onslaught of summer feasting, I suggest you make a few of these pork rillettes. When friends or family arrive, just cut a few slices of bread, pour something to drink and voilà, you have yourselves a summer feast.
Makes 750 ml
1.2 kg Pork 360 de-boned pork belly or belly roast
5 cloves
2 all spice
30 ml salt
10 ml dry coriander
Freshly ground pepper
2 bay leaves
A few sprigs fresh thyme
2 sticks celery - cut in chunks
1 big carrot - cut in chunks
1 big onion - cut in chunks
250 ml chicken stock
15 ml Dijon mustard
100 g butter
15 ml brandy
30 ml chopped parsley
juice and zest of 1 lemon
Use a grinder to make a spice mix of the cloves, all spice, salt, pepper, coriander, bay leaves and thyme. Use your hands to rub the spice mix on the meat. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and allow to rest for a couple of hours - overnight is best.
Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Heat a pot on the stove, remove the meat from the plastic and brown the meat. Once the meat has browned, pour off some of the fat and keep for later. Remove the meat from the pot for a moment. Place all the vegetables in the bottom of the pot and place the meat on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock and cover with the lid or some foil. Cook for two hours or until pork is fork tender. Remove the lid and allow the fat to crisp (for 10-15 minutes). Remove the pot from the oven and remove the meat from the pot. Remove the crackling from the meat and keep until needed. Use two forks to shred the meat. Add Dijon mustard, parsley, zest and juice of the lemon and the brandy. Mix thoroughly and spoon into little ramekins. Melt the butter and mix with the reserved fat and pour over the pork. Close the ramekins and bring to room temperature, after which you can refrigerate it.
Place the shredded pork, mustard, brandy, parsley, juice and zest and soft butter into a food processor and blend until smooth. Spoon mixture in three batches onto plastic wrap and roll into thick "sausages". Cover with plastic and refrigerate. To decorate, roll in edible flowers, fresh herbs or pretty peppercorns. Serve with fresh bread, crostini or crackers of your choice.
