Braised pork and hazelnut gremolata toasts
"Inspired by one of my favorite restaurants from my hometown (shout out to Minneapolis, Minnesota!), this toast is hearty enough to be a meal but can also be served as an appetizer for a casual get together. For a more rustic look, shred the pork neck instead of slicing it. Be generous with the hazelnut gremolata, and if you have any extra, save it and serve it with simple grilled vegetables, meats, or atop salads or fried eggs."
Difficulty
Medium 👍Ingredients
Utensils
2 ovens, 3 cutting boards, 3 knives, ovenproof pot (large), baking sheet, fine grater, citrus press, mortar and pestle, frying pan, bowl, fine sieve, saucepan
How-To Videos
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Nutrition per serving
Step 1/8
- ⅓ kg pork neck
- ⅔ onions
- ⅔ carrots
- 1⅓ cloves garlic
- salt
- pepper
- oven
- cutting board
- knife
Preheat oven to 85°C/185°F. Season the pork neck all over with salt and pepper. Halve the onions, roughly chop carrots, and crush most of the garlic cloves.
Step 2/8
- ⅔ tsp cumin seeds
- 220 ml dark beer
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- ovenproof pot (large)
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add vegetable oil, then sear the pork shoulder on all sides, approx. 2 min. per side. Add the cumin seeds, vegetables, and dark beers. Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven.
Step 3/8
- oven
Bake at 85°C/185°F for approx. 6 hrs., until pork is completely fork tender and cooked all the way through.
Step 4/8
- 16⅔ g hazelnuts
- baking sheet
Once the pork is cooked, make the hazelnut gremolata, toast the hazelnuts on a baking sheet at 150°C/300°F for approx. 10 min. or until golden and fragrant. Let cool.
Step 5/8
- ⅓ clove garlic
- 5 g parsley
- 3⅓ g chives
- ⅓ lemon
- ⅛ tsp pink peppercorns
- cutting board
- knife
- fine grater
- citrus press
- mortar and pestle
Mince remaining garlic, parsley, and chives. Zest lemon and juice half the lemon. Roughly grind pink peppercorns in a food processor or mortar and pestle. Finely chop hazelnuts.
Step 6/8
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt
- frying pan
- bowl
Heat one third of the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and add the garlic and pink peppercorns. Swirl the pan and let cook for approx. 2 min. then transfer to a bowl. Add the lemon zest, hazelnuts, remaining olive oil, lemon juice, chopped parsley, and chives. Season to taste with salt, then add some more olive oil, if needed. Stir well.
Step 7/8
- cutting board
- knife
- fine sieve
- saucepan
Once the pork is cooked, remove from the oven and the pot and slice. Strain the roasting pan juices through a sieve and reduce sauce in the saucepan over medium heat until thickened.
Step 8/8
- 2 slices sourdough bread
To assemble the toasts, pile a portion of sliced pork on top of the toasted sourdough bread and drizzle with gravy. Finish with a spoonful of hazelnut gremolata. Enjoy!
