Pork Cheeks and Gnocchi

Pork Cheeks and Gnocchi

For the Cheeks

24 oz.  (between 8 and 12, the size varies a lot) Duroc Pork Cheeks

½ cup Diced Carrot

½ cup Diced Onion

½ cup Diced

Celery

1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste

1 tsp. Garlic, minced

2 Bay Leaves

4 sprigs fresh Thyme

Enough Chicken Stock to cover (approx. 1 quart)

½ cup White Wine

Kosher Salt, Freshly Ground Black Pepper

4 Tbsp. Salad Oil

Place a 4 quart Dutch Oven or Rondeau over medium heat. Using a sharp knife, remove all of the silver skin from the cheeks, season liberally with the salt and pepper. Place the oil in the pan, and sear all of the cheeks on both sides, remove. Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then the mirepoix, cook until they start to color, then add the paste. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, add, the cheeks and the herbs, cover with the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover the pan and place into a 325' oven until the cheeks are tender (approx 1 hour), remove from heat, reserve.

For the Gnocchi

In a medium saucepan, cover the whole potato with salted cold water. Bring the water to a boil over medium heat and cook until tender. Drain. Hold the hot potato in your hand with a kitchen towel and peel away only the skin with a knife. Run the potato in a ricer or a food mill.

Combine potatoes with 1 ¼ cups flour, butter, Creole cream cheese, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and stir with a rubber spatula for about 15 seconds until smooth and the flour is completely incorporated. Add the egg yolks and stir for 15 seconds more, being careful not to overwork the dough.

Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and cut it into eight portions. Working with one portion at a time, and rolling your hands back and forth, outward from the center to the ends, roll the dough into a long thin strand, about ½ -inch in diameter. Cut each dough strand into ½-inch pieces and sprinkle the tops lightly with flour. (Add as little flour as possible to prevent sticking.) Lift gnocchi from the work surface using the edge of a large knife or bench scraper and transfer on a baking sheet.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add all of the gnocchi to the water, stirring, and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 3 ½ minutes, until the gnocchi start to float. Remove with a slotted spoon or strainer and place in an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain the gnocchi, transfer to a large bowl, and toss with oil. Gnocchi can be made up to 1 day ahead, covered, and chilled or frozen. Toss the gnocchi with extra vegetable oil to prevent sticking if you are making it ahead.

For the Butter

3 Lemons, peeled

1 Shallot, diced

2 sprigs Thyme

2 Bay Leaves

¼ c. Cream

1 cup White Wine

½ lb. Butter, Softened

1 oz. Spanish Anchovy Filet

Salt, White Pepper

Place the lemons, herbs and wine in a small saucepan, reduce until almost dry- add the cream and reduce that by half. Slowly whisk in the butter, Season, strain. Fold in the Anchovies. Reserve

To Finish

¼ c. Roasted Peppers, julienne

¼ cup Imported Olives, pitted and sliced lengthwise

1/8 cup Fried Capers

1 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter

Place the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Just before it browns, add the gnocchi, toss for two minutes, add the peppers and olives. When heated through, add the cheeks, the capers, and 6 oz. of the butter. Divide into four bowls- Enjoy!

Noon Cooking - February 16, 2012