spiced pomegranate pork cheeks

Recipe Courtesy of Chef David Rose

For the crispy shallots

2 shallots sliced
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Canola oil for frying

Place sliced shallots in a medium bowl and cover with milk, allow to stand for 10 mins. In another medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Remove shallots from milk and toss into seasoned flour.

In a small sauce pot, fill about 2” high with canola oil, and bring to medium high heat. Shake off excess flour from shallots, and fry until lightly golden about 2 to 3 mins; remove from oil and drain on paper towel lined plate.

For farro ‘risotto’

1 cup Italian Farro grain
1/2 diced medium yellow onion
1 medium carrots small diced
3.5 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
5 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups beef stock
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a medium sized sauce pot bring beef stock to a rolling boil, then reduce to a simmer.

In a medium sized sauce pot, add olive oil and bring to medium high heat.

Add onions and carrots and sauté until slightly caramelized, about 2 to 3 mins.

Add mushrooms, a pinch of kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper; sauté until mushrooms are tender, about 3 to mins.

Add farro grain, and sauté until slightly caramelized and fragrant; about 2 to 3 mins. Add 1/2 of beef stock, and reduce to medium heat.

Simmer until almost all liquid is gone then add the rest of beef stock.

Once farro becomes tender, and takes on “risotto” like consistency, finish with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Seasonto taste with salt and pepper.

for the Pork cheeks

9 Cheshire Pork cheeks (trimmed)
3 ribs of celery diced
2 medium carrots small diced
1 whole diced medium yellow onion
2 whole smashed garlic cloves
3 diced Calabrian chilies
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Goya sofrito
1 cup Port wine
1 cup pomegranate juice
2.5 cups beef stock
1/2 teaspoon Berbere spice blend
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder

Pat pork cheeks dry with a paper towel and season evenly with dry spices.

In a cast iron Dutch oven, add 4 tablespoons olive oil, and turn heat to high. Get a nice hard sear on all sides of the pork cheeks; sear in batches to not over crowd Dutch oven. (About 3 to 4 minutes on each side).

Remove pork cheeks from Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium high heat and add onions, carrots, celery, garlic and Calabrian chili. Sauté until fragrant, caramelized and tender. About 4 to 5 mins.

Add sofrito and sauté for an additional 2 minutes, add port wine and pomegranate juice; reduce by a 1/3.

Add beef stock, return to a boil and add pork cheeks back into Dutch oven, reduce to medium low simmer and braise for about 1.5 hours until for tender.

Serve on a bed of Farro ‘Risotto” and top with crispy shallots.