Spanish Pork, Chorizo & Beans One Pot

At every chance I get I am telling people about pork cheeks. They are becoming slightly more popular and so they should. They are a slow cook, melt in the mouth type of pork and they are still so cheap!! I made sure I bought some with the last shop - they cost less than £2 for four large cheeks - easily a meal for four if served with potato or rice. 

I didn't have a recipe in mind when I bought them.. in fact I didn't right up until I cooked them. It was one of those peer in the cupboard and fridge moments, trying to see what worked well. I had some chorizo my Spanish neighbour brought back for me from Barcelona. And I know I always have a tin of cannellini beans in the cupboard. So we have this: Spanish pork cheeks with chorizo, leeks & beans & a cheeky dash of sherry.

Ingredients:      

4 (280g) pork cheeks, each cut into four
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
120g cooking chorizo, thickly sliced
1 leek, sliced
1 onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, sliced
50ml sherry
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 pint chicken stock (cube is fine)
400g cannellini beans, rinsed
salt & pepper
parsley, to garnish

Method:

In a casserole dish, heat the oil and fry the pork pieces until browned. Remove with a slotted spoon and put onto a plate. Add the chorizo to the casserole dish and cook until browned. Add to the pork (on the plate).

Then add the onion to the pan, cook until translucent and then add the leek and garlic. Cook for a further 5 minutes. Add the sherry and continue to cook, scraping off browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add the flour, paprika and thyme. Stir in well to cook out the floury taste for a couple of minutes and then add the stock. Add the pork and chorizo to the dish. Stir well, bring to the boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cover and leave on a very low heat for about two and a half hours.

When the time is up, add the cannellini beans and season to taste. Turn heat to medium to heat through the beans. Serve with a little parsley and a hunk of crusty bread to mop up the juices. The taste will take you to the mountains in Spain - delicious!