Delia's Potted Pork with Juniper & Thyme, with a Marmalade of Apples, Raisins & Shallots Recipe
Serves 8
400g minced pork
50g smoked streaky bacon, chopped small
1 clove garlic, crushed
1⁄8 teaspoon ground mace
1 heaped teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
8 juniper berries
½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1½ tablespoons brandy
½ teaspoon salt
For the garnish
some sprigs of thyme
a few juniper berries
A 570ml pudding basin or heatproof bowl.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/gas mark 2.
All you do here is place the meats, garlic, mace and thyme in a mixing bowl. Then, using a pestle and mortar, crush the juniper berries and peppercorns - not too finely. Add these, along with the brandy and salt, then give everything a really thorough mixing. Now pack the mixture into the bowl, press the thyme sprigs and juniper berries onto the surface, then cover with double sheet of foil, twisting it to make a kind of lid.
Place it on a baking tray then into the oven to cook slowly for 1½ hours. Then remove it from the oven, place some scale weights (or something else heavy) on top to firm it up and leave to get quite cold before transferring to the fridge. Serve cut into wedges, straight from the bowl.
Marmalade of Apples, Raisins & Shallots
This also goes well with any other pâté, terrine or pork dish.
Serves 8
350g Cox's apples (no need to peel)
250g shallots, peeled and halved if large
50g raisins
1⁄8 teaspoon whole cloves
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1⁄8 nutmeg, freshly grated
275ml strong dry cider
55ml cider vinegar
25g dark muscovado sugar
To prepare the apples, core and cut them into quarters, then slice each quarter into three. Place them, along with all the other ingredients, in a medium-sized saucepan, bring everything up to a gentle simmer and just leave it to cook very gently (without a lid) for 50-60 minutes, until the liquid has reduced and the mixture looks sticky and glossy. If you want to make this in advance, to serve just warm it through gently - it doesn't need to be hot,
just warm
