Normandy style Pork & Cider Casserole

We had a very pleasant change of scenery. Not the Indian sub-continent this time, but Normandy…..

Ingredients:-

500g of Pork thigh, cubed
8 Shallots, peeled but left whole
100g of Bacon Largons
1 Onion, diced
1 Celery Stick, chopped
300ml of Cider
300ml of Chicken Stock
1 Tbsp of Cornflour
50g of Yogurt
1 ½ Tsp of Dijon Mustard
100g Baby Mushroom, whole
2 Tbsp of Butter / Margarine to Fry
2 Tbsp of Oil to fry
A handful of fresh Basil
Salt & Pepper to season

Method:-

(1) Heat a little Oil in a pan and add the cubed Pork.
(2) Fry to brown on all sides.
(3) Transfer to a plate to rest.
(4) Add the whole Shallots and Mushrooms and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes.
(5) Transfer to the plate with your resting Pork.
(6) In a large flameproof casserole add a little Oil and fry the Bacon until crisp.
(7) Remove and set aside.
(8) Add the Onions and Celery to the Casserole with the Butter and fry until softened.
(9) Add the Pork, Cider and Stock and simmer with the bid slightly open for an hour.
(10) Add the Shallots and Mushrooms and cook for a further hour.
(11) Mix the Cornflour with a Tbsp of Cider and add to the Casserole.
(12) Cook for a further 5 minutes, stirring to thicken the sauce.
(13) Stir in the Yogurt, Mustard and Basil – adding a splash more Cider if the sauce seems a bit thick.
(14) Add Salt & Pepper to taste.
(15) Serve and garnish with fresh chopped Basil.

We served ours in a ring of Wholegrain Mustard mashed Potatoes with tender stem Broccoli.

Apart from this being a really tasty meal, there was the added satisfaction of using out own home cured Bacon and home butchered Pork from the leg we bought on a yellow sticker deal a while ago!