Crispy Pork Hock
with potato Gratin, bread and cheddar sauce and beer fried onions
Side dishes are often overlooked when chefs are creating menus, however a little effort with the humble potato and you can create a gratin side that will elevate any dish on your menu well beyond the fried chip. This is an opportunity to have a standalone dish with simple and cheap ingredients that deliver a flavour punch to your customers and great value to your restaurant. Using your house beers or well-known craft beers in the ingredients adds value to the menu and gives you an opportunity to offer pairings with your dishes and unique experiences for customers. The beer-fried onions can be a popular bar snack as well as a great garnish on the menu. Serve these with a dipping sauce and encourage customers to try the beer you have named as an ingredient.
Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 1kg agria potatoes peeled, sliced 3mm thick
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 500ml Anchor Cream
- 100g Mainland Tasty Cheddar, grated
- 1ea sprig rosemary, chopped
- Salt and cracked pepper
Method
Mix the flour and salt together in a bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the eggs and a little of the milk.
Whisk until smooth, then gradually add the remaining milk. This can be done with a wooden spoon, but is easier with an electric hand-held whisk.
Pour the mixture into a jug.
In a large frying pan, seal and colour your house sausage. When it is a perfect golden brown add a good drizzle of sunflower oil to the pan and allow to get hot.
Pour in the pudding mix and place straight into the oven for 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Bread & Cheddar Sauce
- 1ea large onion, peeled
- 6ea cloves
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1ea bay leaf
- 6ea black peppercorns
- 650ml Anchor Blue Top Milk
- 80g Mainland Tasty Cheddar, grated
- 110g white breadcrumbs
- 40g Mainland Salted Butter
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
Press all the cloves into the whole peeled onion, and place in a saucepan. Add the bay leaf, Dijon mustard, peppercorns and milk. Bring to the boil then remove from the heat. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Pass the liquid through a sieve into a saucepan or remove the onion, bay leaf and peppercorns. Stir the breadcrumbs and cheddar into the milk and place over a low heat for 5–10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs have absorbed all the liquid and the sauce is the desired consistency. Stir occasionally.
Stir in the butter and season to taste, with salt and pepper.and onion gravy.
Beer Fried Onions
- 2 ea onions, finely sliced
- 250g plain flour
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp dried or fresh thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- cracked pepper
- 500ml chosen beer (I used IPA)
Method
Slice your onions nice and thin and let them soak in your beer for up to 24 hours (minimum 2–3 hours).
Mix the salt, pepper, flour, thyme and paprika together in a large bowl.
Take the onions from the beer and gently squeeze out a little excess beer before placing into the flour, toss around until evenly coated.
Shake any excess flour off and place into the deep fryer until crispy and golden. Season to taste and store in an airtight container for service.
Crispy Pork Hock
- 6 pork hocks
- 3L water
- 3ea sprigs fresh thyme
- 6ea garlic cloves
- 6ea peppercorns
- 1 cup cooking white wine
Method
Slice your onions nice and thin and let them soak in your beer for up to 24 hours. But 2 or 3 hours will do.
Mix the salt, pepper, flour, thyme and paprika together in a large bowl.
Take the onions from the beer and squeeze out gently a little excess beer before placing into the flour, toss around until evenly coated.
Shake any excess flour off and place into the deep fryer until crispy and golden. Season to taste and store in an airtight container for service.
Use this gratin as an additional side option on your menu that your staff can upsell and create more value for you and your customers.
Download the recipie