SMOKED EISBEIN WITH APPLE SAUCE, PARMESAN MASH AND CARAMELISED CARROTS

SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 30 MIN COOKING: 2 HOURS (EISBEIN); 20 MIN (MASH); 10 MIN (APPLE SAUCE); 10 MIN (CARROTS)

EISBEIN

1 eisbein (pork hocks) per person, skin scored

3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly a few sprigs of rosemary 1 onion, chopped salt and pepper

15ml (1T) Portuguese spice mix, mixed into 150g melted butter to baste microherbs to garnish

APPLE SAUCE

1 apple, cored and chopped 30ml (2T) brown sugar

15ml (1T) apple cider vinegar 60 ml (¼c) water

MASH

4 potatoes, peeled and washed 60 ml (¼c) butter

125ml (½c) grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper

CARAMELISED CARROTS

1 carrot, sliced into thin strips 15ml (1T) butter pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

1 Eisbein Put the eisbein in a roasting pan, add the garlic, rosemary and onion.

2 Add enough water till halfway up the meat, cover and cook in the oven till soft, about 1½ hours. Turn halfway through.

3 Remove the foil, turn the heat up to 200°C and roast for another 30 minutes, basting often with the butter and Portuguese spice mixture, until cooked and crisp. Remove from the oven and keep warm.

4 Apple sauce Cook the apple, brown sugar, vinegar and water in a pot until soft, then purée with a stick blender.

5 Mash Bring a pot of water to the boil. Cut the potatoes into quarters and cook for 15-20 minutes until soft. Drain the potatoes, return to the pot and mash with the butter and Parmesan cheese. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.

6 Carrots Add the carrot strips, butter and salt to a small saucepan and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat while the carrots are still crunchy.

7 Serve the eisbein with the apple sauce, mash and carrots and garnish with microherbs.