Pulled pork ragu

Posted by petra08 on March 11, 2017 · 12 Comments 

The other morning I woke up just before sunrise. I think it was the seagulls who seemed to have a loud gathering on a neighbors rooftop. I love the sound and looking outside the sky was beautifully golden and it held the promise of a sunny day. I think it was the first day of the year when the sun was warm and everyone was walking around with a smile, having carefully shed at least some of the winter gear.

 

I wanted to make a ragu but a light one to celebrate the arrival of spring. Flowers are blooming, spring vegetables are starting to show up in the shops and my nose is starting to twitch from hay fever, a sure sign!

 

Pulled pork ragu 

preparation time 10 minutes 

cooking time 2 1/2 hours

oven 140C or 284F

serves 6

Ingredients

• 6 sliced of pork shoulder
• 1 parsnip, peeled and cut in to fine cubes
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut in to fine cubes
• 2 sticks of celery, cut in to fine cubes
• 5 cm or about 2 inch leek, cleaned and sliced fine
• a good piece of fresh ginger, peeled and cut julienne
• 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 dl  or 1/2 cup prosecco or white wine
• 2 dl  or 1 cup coca cola
• 1 tin of chopped tomatoes, 4 dl or 2 cups
• 1 ancho chile, cut in half
• 2 dried or fresh red chiles, fine sliced
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing rice wine
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 heaped tbsp miso paste
• 1/2 dl or 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 star anise
• 1 sprig rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste
• oil for cooking

Heat oil in an ovenproof dish with a tight fitting lid. Salt and pepper the pork slices and brown them on both sides. Remove them from the pan and add the carrot, celery, parsnip, leek and chiles. Let fry for a few minutes. Add the prosecco or white wine and stir to make sure nothing is stuck at the bottom of the pan. Add the miso pasta and make sure it is dissolved. Add the meat back to the pan with the remaining ingredients, tinned tomatoes, fish sauce, Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar, star anise and the rosemary. Make sure everything is mixed and the meat is submerged. Add a little water if it looks a little dry. Put the lid on top and place the pan in the oven. Leave it for 1 1/2 hour before checking so it doesn’t look dry, potentially add a little water and let simmer for another 30 minutes.

Remove the pork from the pan and shred it fine with two forks and remove any excess fat. Chop the ancho chile fine and return it back with the pulled pork. Heat up the ragu, cook it a bit more if it is too moist and serve.

 

I served some with moringa leaf pasta.

 

 

There was some ragu left and I looked in the fridge for inspiration. I had some left over puff pastry and I couldn’t resist buying some asparagus, a sure sign of spring. I did both dishes and we shared them.

 

Pulled pork ragu in puff pastry 

preparation time 5 minutes 

cooking time 20 minutes 

oven 180C or 356F 

serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 dl or 1 cup of pulled pork ragu
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 eggs (you can fry the egg and place on top if you don’t like raw egg yolk)
• about 1/2 sheet of puff pastry
• enoki mushrooms (cooked button mushrooms would also work)
• olive oil
• cucumber and red onion salsa (see below)

Pastry garnish 

• sumac
• black sesame seeds
• sea salt
• a whipped, raw egg

Place 2 tbsp beef ragu on a square of puff pastry. Add some enoki mushrooms.

 

 

Brush the edges with egg wash and close the pastry. Use a fork and close the edges. Brush the pastry with the egg wash and add sesame seeds, sumac and a few flakes of sea salt.

 

 

I made 4 pastries.

Heat up the remaining pulled pork ragu and sear the asparagus.

 

Make the cucumber salsa. I used three ingredients, cucumber, red onion and zest and juice of half a lemon and mixed. The salsa added texture and freshness to the dish.

 

The pastry came out really nice.

 

 

I served the pastry parcels on top of asparagus with the cucumber salsa.

 

 

I served the remaining ragu on seared asparagus and place and egg yolk on top. Add a little olive oil, cucumber salsa and a sprinkle of chilli flakes.

 

 

This pork ragu was even better the next day and it was a good way to use up left overs.

 

I am bringing this to the lovely Angie’s Fiesta Friday. I am a little late to the party but it is too much fun to miss! This week she is joined by two great co hosts, Sarah, Tales from the Kitchen Shed and Liz, Spades, Spatuas and Spoons. Sarah is a great baker as well as cook and Liz is treating us to a lamb tagine, one of my favorite dishes!

I am also bringing this to Corina’s, Searching for Spice lovely blog challenge, Cook Once Eat Twice. This is a challenge that is close to my heart trying to reduce food waste. Have a look there are always inspiring recipes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Filed under Allotment/Veg, Asparagus, Carrot, Celery, Chilli, Cucumber, Egg, Garlic, Ginger, Leek, Lemon, Main course, Onion, Parsnip, Pork, Proescco, Recipe, Side dish, Snack, Starter · Tagged with egg yolk, puff pastry, pulled pork, pulled pork ragu, pulled pork stuffed pastry, ragu