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Pork Ribs and Sausage Platter

I can't quite put into words the taste and aroma of this stew. If only photographs could carry scent. Ingredients For 4 people 3 pork ribs. 600g fresh pork sausage. A handful of pine nuts. Pitted dried prunes. Dried apricots. 1/2 kg peeled chestnuts. 1 tablespoon cornstarch. 1 teaspoon sugar. 10g dark chocolate. Salt. Olive oil. Vegetable stock. Preparation At the butcher, ask them to cut each rib into three pieces. Cut the sausage into chunks about 6cm long. Put the prunes and apricots to soften in boiling water. In a pot with hot oil, brown the rib pieces and sausage chunks. Once they're nicely golden, add the prunes, chestnuts, apricots, pine nuts, sugar, and chocolate, then cover everything with vegetable stock. If you don't have any, just use water. Cover the pot and let it cook for about 45 minutes. Every now and then, give the pot a good shake. Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit of water and stir it into the sauce, then cook for another...

Catalan-Style Broccoli Rabe with Pork




Espigalls — that's what we call broccoli rabe in these parts — come from a variety of cabbage and share the same nutritional goodness. This dish brings together the slight bitterness of the greens with the richness of pork, sweetness from raisins, and that wonderful crunch of pine nuts. It's hearty enough to stand on its own.


Ingredients

for 4 people
  • 800g broccoli rabe (espigalls).
  • 4 or 5 spring garlic bulbs.
  • 200g lean bacon.
  • 200g pork sausage (longanissa or similar).
  • 80g currants.
  • 40g pine nuts.
  • parsley.
  • 250ml vegetable broth.
  • salt.
  • freshly ground black pepper.
  • olive oil.

Preparation

Start by washing the broccoli rabe...
then chop it into pieces. Set aside the thicker stem pieces — they'll need a head start in the pot since they take longer to cook through.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Toss in those thicker stems first and let them bubble away for 5 or 6 minutes. Then add the rest of the greens and cook everything together for about 15 minutes total, keeping the pot uncovered.
Drain thoroughly and set aside.
Chop the sausage and bacon into bite-sized pieces...
and fry them in a large pot or cazuela with a good glug of hot olive oil. Once they start to sizzle and release their fat, add the garlic and the drained broccoli rabe. When everything's about halfway cooked, stir in the currants and pine nuts, then cook for another 5 minutes, still uncovered.
Pour in the vegetable broth and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and the flavors meld together. If it looks too dry, add a splash more broth...
Serve it steaming hot with good crusty bread for soaking up all that savory broth...


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