Porky Porky Yum Yums

Here is a mini festival to the wonderful pig that was derived from simply using up stuff in the fridge. Mini pork towers comprising of black pudding, a slice of new potato, chorizo and a ball of sausage meat, bacon wrapped asparagus, pork liver paté stuffed mushrooms also wrapped in bacon, roasted garlic and a cider sauce. The mushrooms were based on the success of the Garlicky Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms we did the other night.

Ingredients:

Black pudding cut into 1cm slices
Chorizo, skinned and cut into 1cm slices.
Sausages skinned and rolled into meatballs
Bacon
Pork liver paté
Big mushrooms
Asparagus
Garlic
Cider
Cream
Chives

Method:

1. In a pan get a bottle of cider boiling to reduce.
2. Pull the stalk out of the mushroom (don't throw it away, keep it as you might be making a gravy or sauce later and the stalks are full of flavour).
3. Stuff the 'shroom with the paté.
4. Wrap with the bacon and secure with a wooden cocktail stick. A good tip is to soak the cocktail sticks in water for half an hour beforehand so they don't burn so much.
5. Shove in the oven on top shelf on gas 6.
6. Wrap 4 or 5 asparagus spears with a rasher or 2 of bacon and place in the oven on bottom shelf.
7. In a small oven dish drizzle the garlic cloves with oil and put in the oven on the bottom shelf.
8. Brown the meatballs in a frying pan then place on the bottom shelf of the oven.
9. Sauté the potato slices in the same frying pan then place on top shelf of the oven.
10. Fry the chorizo and black pudding until done.
11. Take the cider sauce off the heat and add a small dollop of cream some chopped chives
12. Everything should be just about done now so make your towers and plate up.

Garlicky Cheese Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Mushrooms

Either as a starter or snack these bacon wrapped stuffed mushrooms can be stuffed with all sorts of goodies. Here I have simply used garlic and cheese.

 

Ingredients:

Big mushrooms
Thinly sliced bacon or pancetta
Garlic
Cheese

Method:

1. Pull the stalk out of the mushroom (don't throw it away, keep it as you might be making a gravy or sauce later and the stalks are full of flavour).
2. Stuff the 'shroom with cheese, I used a mixture of grated cheddar and grated mozzarella.
3. Grate or crush some garlic on top.
4. Wrap with the bacon and secure with a wooden cocktail stick. A good tip is to soak the cocktail sticks in water for half an hour beforehand so they don't burn so much.
5. Bake in the oven on gas 6 until the bacon looks done.