There is something deeply comforting in cooking a big batch of slowly braised meat. I’ve always wanted to make a slow roasted pork shoulder ever since coming across a recipe for this in my first ever proper cookbook – Jamie Oliver’s ‘Cook with Jamie.’ I never got to do it though since I never could find the proper cut of meat for it in Dublin. I did, however, slow roast a monster of a pork shoulder once during our time in France and knew it would be a winner whenever I tried it next.
I have always been intrigued by Mexican food. The same way that Indian food remains mysterious for many people just because it’s so diverse, I feel Mexican food is something that one can spend a lifetime studying. I consider myself lucky that we have the opportunity to try out different flavours of this colourful cuisine living in California. Of course, a lot of it is in no way a hundred percent authentic but if it gives me even a glimpse of what the real thing would be like, I am happy for now.
Last Tuesday we had a barbecue. It was a warm day with temperatures reaching over 20C, a pleasant change from the rain and gloom that has pervaded these early spring days. It was a short lived dose of sunshine though as it began drizzling once again even before we could fully wrap up our meal.
I’ve tried making pita bread only once before. The results were quite mediocre which is why I was never tempted to try it again. However, as time has passed, I’ve gained a little experience and confidence in the baking department. The other day, when we were stuck at home thanks to a continuous downpour that showed no signs of stopping, I had to think of something for supper.
I’m a big fan of slowly braised meats. We’ve always loved a slow roasted leg of lamb and have made it on numerous occasions. We’ve also always wanted to try out slow roasting other cuts of meat such as a pork shoulder but the limited availability of these cuts made it an impossible task.
Recently when we were in a supermarket, Peter chanced upon a whole pork shoulder sitting on the counter. After much debate, mainly because it was just after Christmas and everybody had their fill of roasts and comfort foods, and the not so daunting fact (!) that it weighed a whopping 6 kilos, we decided to go for it.
