Before spring is properly upon us (I wish…) I thought I’d post this recipe I made quite a while ago. I actually thought I had something similar on the blog already, as I tend to live on this type of food during the autumn and winter. And yes, I have pork cheek confit here before and lots of creamy mushroom recipes, but I still thought I’d show you that this is a great combination.

Especially if you use duck or goose fat for your confit, the creamy mushrooms work really well. It is something about the hint of sweetness in the fat combined with the earthiness of the mushrooms that really work.

Pork cheek confit with creamy trumpet mushrooms, serves 2

5-6 pork cheeks

1 handful dried black trumpet mushrooms, soaked in water

500 ml mild oil or heated (i.e. runny) duck or goose fat

For the sauce:

1 tbsp salted butter

1 shallots, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, pressed

a splash of dry white wine

75 ml double cream

1 tsp concentrated vegetable stock

1-2 tsp dijon mustard

salt, white pepper

Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms, and place them along with the cheeks in the smallest ceramic tray that can fit it all without overlapping. Add enough fat to cover or just about cover the contents of the tray. 

Place the tray in a 150C oven for about 40 minutes. Take out the mushrooms and dry them on kitchen towel. Let the meat rest.

Fry onion and garlic in the butter on low heat in a small nonstick saucepan. Add the mushrooms and white wine. Add cream and let the mixture thicken. Add stock and mustard, salt and pepper. 

Slice the cheeks thinly and fry them quickly (you probably won’t need any extra fat). Serve!