Wonderful Pork And Cider Casserole Food

NORMANDY PORK WITH APPLES & CIDER

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large pan and brown the meat in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan, and only turn the meat when it has a deep brown crust on the underside, as this will add lots of flavour to the stew. When one batch is cooked, tip it into the slow cooker and continue with the next batch, adding more oil as you need it.
• When all the meat has been transferred to the slow cooker, add the onion, carrots and celery to the pan and cook for 5-10 mins to just soften, scraping any meaty bits up from the bottom of the pan. Tip the veg into the slow cooker. Add the lardons to the pan and fry until crispy. Pour in the cider, bubble for 1 min, again scraping the bottom of the pan, then tip the cider and lardons into the slow cooker too. Add the apples, stock cube and herbs to the slow cooker, pour in 400ml water, season well and turn the heat to Low. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hrs until the meat is very tender. (If you don't have a slow cooker, tip all the ingredients back into the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 3 hrs over a low heat, stirring every now and then to prevent it from catching on the bottom. You may have to add a splash of water during cooking if the sauce looks dry.)
• Turn your slow cooker up to High. Add the crème fraîche and mustard to the stew and check the seasoning. If the sauce is thin, you can thicken it with the cornflour - ladle 2 spoonfuls of the sauce into a pan and bring to a simmer, mix the cornflour with 1-2 tsp cold water to make a paste, then stir it into the sauce. Once thickened, return the sauce to the slow cooker and cook for 10 mins more on High, stirring occasionally (or for 5 mins on the hob). Serve with mashed potato, greens and extra mustard and thyme, if you like.

PORK AND CIDER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Heat 2tsp oil in a large casserole dish (that has a lid) over medium-high heat. Add the pork, in batches, and brown all over. Remove each batch to a plate with a slotted spoon; set aside.
• Reduce heat to medium and add remaining 1tsp oil to casserole. Add shallots, pancetta and apple wedges and cook for 10min, until apples are tender. Add garlic and cook for 1min.
• Add the flour, stirring so everything is coated. Stir in the mustard, cider, stock and some seasoning. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil, then return pork (and any juices from the plate) to the casserole, cover with the lid and transfer to the oven. Cook for 30min, until the pork is cooked through and the sauce thickened.
• Uncover, stir in crème fraîche and check seasoning. Add the kale, stir and return to the oven, uncovered, for 5min until the kale has wilted. Sprinkle over the chopped tarragon and serve with mash, if you like.

WONDERFUL PORK AND CIDER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• In a oven-proof Dutch oven, combine the cider, fresh garlic (if using), broth, onion, celery, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, salt, paprika and pepper, add in the cubed pork; heat to boiling, reduce heat, simmer partially covered until the pork is tender (about 1 hour).
• Mix the evaporated milk with the egg yolk; stir into the pork mixture.
• On a small plate, work the butter and flour together; whisk into pork mixture in the pot.
• Cook, stirring constantly until thickened.
• Stir in lime juice.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Transfer the pork mixture into a 1-1/2 quart baking dish.
• Arrange the sliced apples evenly over the top.
• Sprinkle with cheese.
• Bake for 20-35 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.