Crispy Pork Cheeks with Creole Dirty Rice

Dirty rice is a staple in Louisiana’s Creole cooking. Spencer Minch, my chef de cuisine at Emeril’s Delmonico, created this recipe for crispy pork served over Creole dirty rice. Chef Spencer confits the pork cheeks – cooking them covered with oil in the oven at a low temperature until they are fork tender. He then sautés the pork in a little butter until slightly crispy. The dirty rice is delicious all by itself, but the pork cheeks are definitely worth the effort. This dish has developed quite a following in New Orleans and one of the most popular dishes at Delmonico!

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds pork cheeks,  cleaned and trimmed of all tough membranes

8 cloves garlic

6 sprigs fresh thyme

1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

Vegetable oil as needed

1 cup flour, or more as needed for  dusting

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 recipe Creole Dirty Rice, for  serving

- Makes 4 servings

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the pork cheeks, garlic, thyme, salt, pepper, and coriander seeds in a baking dish just large enough to hold the pork in one layer. Add enough vegetable oil to completely cover the pork. Cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil and bake until cheeks are fork-tender, usually 4 to 4 1/2 hours. (Note: this will depend on the size of pork cheeks you are able to procure, so check periodically during the cooking time.) When the pork is tender, remove from the oven and allow to cool in the oil. Once cool, remove the cheeks from the oil and pat dry with paper towels. (Oil may be strained and used for another purpose.)

Dust the cheeks lightly with flour. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and, when oil is hot, add 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sauté the cheeks, in batches if necessary, until golden brown on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the pan and repeat with remaining cheeks, adding more vegetable oil and remaining butter if necessary.

Serve the cheeks hot, with the Creole Dirty Rice.

Creole Dirty Rice

Ingredients

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

1/2 cup chopped bell pepper

1/4 pound ground pork

1/4 pound chicken livers, pureed

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon finely chopped  jalapeno

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

2 cups cooked long grain white  rice

1/4 cup beef stock or canned, low  sodium beef broth

Dash of Tabasco, or other  Louisiana hot sauce, or to taste

- Makes about 3 cups

INSTRUCTIONS

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. When hot, add the butter, onions, and bell peppers and sauté vegetables until tender and lightly caramelized, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the pork and cook, using the spoon to break the pork into small pieces of meat, until well-browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the liver puree, bay leaves, jalapeno, salt, coriander, cumin, and cayenne and cook until liver is cooked through and spices are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rice and beef stock and continue to cook, stirring, until well-combined and rice is heated through, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Adjust the seasoning if necessary and add hot sauce to taste.