Pork Cheeks

Ingredients

• About 8 tablespoons olive oil
• Mirepoix (3 carrots, 2 onions, 1 stalk celery, 1/2 head of garlic, all peeled and chopped; 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 1 bay leaf)
• 5 pounds pork cheeks, trimmed
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup Dijon mustard
• ½ cup cornmeal
• Lentil salad (see recipe)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a 4-quart Dutch oven. Add the mirepoix. Cover and cook until the vegetables are soft but not browned, about 10 minutes, stirring once or twice. Place the cheeks on top of the vegetables and add enough water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil.
3. Place the pan in the oven. Braise cheeks for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until tender.
4. With a slotted spoon, remove the cheeks to a bowl. (Reserve cooking liquid.) Remove any fat and shred the meat using 2 forks. Sprinkle with salt.
5. When the meat is cool enough to handle, use a little cooking liquid to form into 2- to 3-inch ”sausages.”
6. Wrap each sausage in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
7. To serve, unwrap the sausages and slice each into four pieces. Brush the flat ends of each slice with a thin coat of mustard and then lightly coat with cornmeal.
8. Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a skillet. In batches, saute each slice until crisp and lightly browned.

• You can order pork cheeks from the East Village Meat Market in New York, (212) 228-5590.

3 hours 45 minutes