Smoked Pork Hock with Cabbage Arugula Mash
/This recipe was originally posted on sexfoodandkettlebells.com, Feb 26 2013.
I am happy to present to you this delicious restaurant quality meal - at a fraction of the cost and effort. Perfect for all you busy food lovers out there! This dish takes very little preparation, presents beautifully and pairs well with a white wine of your choice.
Ensure that you find a traditionally raised/hormone free source for the smoked pork hock. Since it is technically an offal, you will be pleasantly surprised by the cost - I think I paid $14CAD total for both hocks (ethically sourced). Happy dance.
Also note that there may be some extra broth after you finish with the dish - when cooled in the fridge, it will gel completely due to gelatin content. I recommend transferring it to a jar, and saving it as the base for your next soup or stew.
- Varya
TIME: Prep 15 min; Cook 3 hrs
YIELD: serves 6
INGREDIENTS
Pork Hock
2 smoked pork hocks (traditionally raised, hormone free) = approx 1.5 kg
2 large onions, chopped
2 1/2 cups local mushrooms, chopped
2 large carrots, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
approx 1 L home made bone broth or beef/chicken stock (if you purchase one it should only have stock/spices/veg as ingredients. No other additives or thickeners)
1-1 1/2 tsp black pepper, ground (to taste)
1/2 sea salt
1 tbsp grassfed gelatin
1 1/2 tsp coconut oil
Spicy Cabbage Arugula Mash
2 small cabbages or 1 large cabbage
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 handful fresh organic arugula
1/2 cup whole organic cream or coconut milk (full fat, organic, from a BPA free can, carageenan/thickener free)
3/4 tsp sea salt or to taste
PROCESS
Pork Hock
1. In a large pot, melt coconut oil, add onions, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, and pepper. Cook until onions have softened.
2. Add pork hocks, and then pour bone broth into the pot. Ensure hocks are mostly covered (the top can remain slightly uncovered so there is not too much liquid).
3. Bring mixture to a boil on med/high, then decrease heat to med, and let simmer half covered for 3 hours. Stir occassionally.
4. After 3 hours, the meat should be falling off the bone - remove from pot, and chop.
Mash
1. Chop the cabbage.
2. Melt coconut oil in a large pan, add the cabbage and salt, and cook covered on med for 20 min until completely softened. Stir every few minutes to ensure it does not burn.
3. Transfer to a food processor, add cream and arugula, and mix until texture is creamy. Set aside until the pork hock is ready.
Put it all together
1. Pick a pretty dish, add about 3-3 1/2 heaping tablespoons of mash and flatten slightly. Add a few pieces of the chopped pork hock over top, and then add/pour the mushroom sauce. Decorate with some arugula.
2. Enjoy with a white wine of your choice.