Lobster bisque, braised pork cheek and apple

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This beautiful braised pork cheek recipe from Bryn Williams is a dish of big flavours, thanks to the slowly braised pork, rich lobster bisque and a wonderfully crispy squid ink tapioca crisp.

First published in 2015

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Braised pork cheeks

Tapioca cracker

Lobster bisque

To serve

Equipment

  • Dehydrator
  • Silpat mat
  • Deep-fryer
  • Muslin cloth

Method

1
Begin by making the tapioca cracker. Blanch the tapioca in boiling water 3 times then transfer to a small saucepan and cover with water
  • 100g of tapioca
2
Simmer until the tapioca is completely broken down – this will take about 2 hours. You may need to top it up with a little more water
3
After this time, stir in the squid ink and season with a little salt. Spread onto a Silpat mat and dehydrate at 60°C overnight until completely dry
4
Carefully trim the sinew from the pork cheeks and season with salt. Add a dash of oil to a large, hot saucepan and caramelise the cheeks all over. Leave to drain in a colander
5
Add the carrots to the same pan and caramelise deeply, then add the onions and caramelise very slowly to retain their natural sweetness. Towards the end of the process add the garlic and herbs and cook until broken down
6
Add the spices and toast them off for a maximum of 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the apple juice and reduce to a glaze consistency
7
Add the pork cheeks and stock to cover, using a cartouche to keep the pork cheeks from floating above the level of the stock
  • 2l chicken stock
8
Bring to the boil and simmer for 2–3 hours until the cheeks are very tender. Allow to cool before taking out of the liquor
9
Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5
10
To make the bisque, chop up the lobster shells and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until dried and roasted
11
Meanwhile, add the carrots to a wide pan with a dash of oil and caramelise deeply. Add the onions and fennel and caramelise very slowly. Towards the end of cooking, add the garlic and herbs and cook until broken down
12
Add the spices and toast them for a maximum of 2 minutes. Add the tomato purée and tomatoes and cook out for 10 minutes
13
Deglaze the pan with the brandy and burn out the alcohol. Reduce to a glaze, then add the shells and the stock to cover
14
Bring to the boil, simmer for 1 hour then pass the liquid through a sieve lined with muslin into a clean pan. Reduce by half
15
Add the cream and bring to the boil. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste
16
Preheat a deep-fryer to 190°C
17
When the tapioca cracker is dry, break up into pieces and deep-fry until puffed and crisp
18
Cut the apple into julienne just before serving
19
To serve, place a pork cheek in a bowl with the apple julienne and a tapioca cracker on top. Serve the lobster bisque on the side
First published in 2015

Bryn Williams trained in three of London’s most challenging kitchens, gaining a solid classical education as he worked. At his neighbourhood restaurant, he offers highly accomplished dishes showcasing the very best produce that Wales has to offer.

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