Espaldilla ibérica guisada

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg Ibérico pork shoulder (espaldilla)
• 2 pieces yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic clove
• 1 piece mild green bell pepper
• 3 pieces carrot
• 4 pieces starchy stewing potato
• 200 g canned crushed ripe tomatoes
• 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp sweet smoked paprika from La Vera (pimentón dulce)
• 15 cl fino-style dry white wine
• 750 ml chicken stock
• 2 leaves dried bay leaf
• 4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
• to taste fine salt
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Trim any excess surface fat from the Ibérico pork shoulder if needed, then cut it into large, even cubes about one and a half inches across. Pat the pieces thoroughly dry with paper towels to ensure a deep sear, then season with fine salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a Dutch oven over high heat. When the oil shimmers and begins to smoke faintly, add the pork shoulder pieces, taking care not to crowd the pot and working in two batches if necessary to maintain high heat.
3. Let the meat sear undisturbed for four to five minutes until a rich, deep mahogany crust forms, then turn the pieces to brown every side and lock in the juices. Transfer the browned pork to a deep dish and keep warm.
4. Lower the heat under the pot to medium and add the finely chopped yellow onion and diced mild green bell pepper to the seasoned rendered fat. Cook for seven to eight minutes, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon, until the onion turns translucent and starts to caramelize around the edges.
5. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook for one minute until fragrant, making sure it does not brown. Stir in the canned crushed ripe tomatoes and cook gently for five minutes, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the excess liquid evaporates and the sofrito thickens noticeably.
6. Pull the pot off the heat briefly, add the sweet smoked paprika from La Vera, and stir quickly to coat the aromatic base without risking scorching it. Return the pot to high heat immediately, pour in the dry fino-style white wine, and boil for two minutes to cook off the alcohol and dissolve all the caramelized drippings.
7. Return the seared pork shoulder and any accumulated juices to the pot, add the dried bay leaves, and pour in the hot chicken stock just until the meat is barely submerged. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for fifty minutes.
8. Meanwhile, peel the carrots and slice them into thick rounds. Peel the starchy stewing potatoes, then snap them into large bite-sized chunks: insert the tip of a paring knife halfway into the potato and twist sharply to pry each piece off, creating a rough, jagged edge that releases starch easily.
9. Check that the meat is beginning to turn tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, then add the carrots and snapped potatoes to the pot. Gently press the vegetables into the simmering liquid, adding a splash of hot water if needed to adjust the level, and continue cooking covered for twenty-five to thirty minutes.
10. Remove the lid once a knife slides through the potatoes and meat with no resistance. Simmer uncovered for three to four minutes if the sauce needs to reduce and coat the back of a spoon, then discard the bay leaves, taste, and adjust the seasoning with fine salt and freshly ground black pepper.
11. Turn off the heat and let the stew rest for ten minutes off the stove so the meat relaxes and the sauce settles into a silky consistency. Scatter with freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley just before serving piping hot.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

557.8 kcal

Protein

38.22 g

Carbohydrate

10.24 g

Fat

38.71 g

Fibre

2.23 g

Calcium

15.43 mg

Iron

0.73 mg

Magnesium

9.31 mg