PIG UNDER FIRE

Hi All

Happy New Year and all that JAZZ!!!!!!!!!!

It has been a while since I last posted something on the blog,I am sure that all those out there who happen to read my blog still love me.

Rhys is of to school tomorrow and I have just spoken with him on the phone and he said his books are packed. I do not know which books he is talking about but I am sure it is nothing serious.

It was good to have the family around at my house again for Christmas Eve, we made the most amazing seafood BBQ some people only can dream about. Fresh braaied snoek and grilled prawns, enough to feed a army, we where pretty close to being one I might add.

The year as started off very busy for me at work, hope it is a good sign for the year and on top of that I am off to the tropical island of Mauritius on the 9th of March to help my friend Paul celebrate his 40th birthday in style. Will bring back a couple of recipes from the island for us to try, those Creoles sure know how to cook.

I hope the year ahead will be a relaxing, may you and your families be in good health the year thru and my the sun always shine on your face. Remember to the first thing to do when you wake-up is to smile and be grateful for what you have around you, I do this very morning and it is the greatest vitamin you can ever come across.

Mister Pigg, Paul and I have started the squash thing again and look forward to shedding some of the festive season's weight that I put on. The recipe I am about to give is not going to help, but what the hell, live a little.

PERNIL

Ingredients

1 Pork shoulder ( 1.8 to 3kg )
4 or more garlic gloves peeled
1 large onion quartered
2 tbsp fresh oreganum or 1 tablespoon dried
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp mild chilli powder
1 tbsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil as needed
1 tbsp wine or cider vinegar
Lime wedges for serving

Method( Cook for at least 3 hours )

Heat oven to 150 degrees Celsius.
Score meat's skin with a sharp knife, making a cross-hatch pattern.
Pulse garlic, onion, oreganum, cumin, chilli, salt and pepper together in a food processor, adding a little oil in a drizzle and scraping down the sides until mixture is pasty.
Blend in the vinegar.
Rub this mixture well into pork, getting it into every nook and cranny.
Put pork in a roasting pan and fill bottom with water.
Roast pork for several hours, turning every hour or so and adding more water as necessary, until meat is tender.
Finish roasting with the skin side up until crisp, raising heat at end of cooking if necessary.
Let rest for at least 10 minutes before cutting.
The meat should be so soft that trying to cut equal slices should be almost impossible.
Serve with lime.

HAVE A GOOD ONE.