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Slow-braised pork hocks with honey and Marsala
Serves 6 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 2 cloves
- 12 juniper berries
- 2 garlic cloves
- 12 sage leaves
- 2tbsp finely chopped rosemary
- 2tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 small pork hocks, skin removed
- 2tbsp set honey
- 3 large onions, peeled and sliced
- 500ml well-flavoured beef stock
- 200ml gutsy red wine
- 200ml Marsala
- 1 bay leaf
Method
Using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder, grind the cloves and juniper berries together, Add the garlic and sage and keep grinding until you have an even-textured paste. Stir in the chopped rosemary and olive oil. Rub the spice and herb mixture all over the pork hocks, cover and leave in the fridge for several hours, overnight if possible.
When you are ready to cook the meat, preheat the oven to 220°C/425 °F/Gas 7. Warm the honey until it is runny and brush it liberally all over the meat. Season with salt and a generous grinding of black pepper and roast for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn down the heat to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Tuck the sliced onions underneath the hocks, pour over the stock, wine and Marsala, add the bay leaf and return to the oven. Check after 1½ hours but aim to cook for around 2 hours (depending on the size of the hocks), basting regularly. The meat should be very tender and falling off the bone.
Serve with a scoop of the melting onions. Pour the sauce out of the roasting tin into a serving jug and pass it around at the table.
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