Name: Pork shoulder and sage hotpot
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h 40 min
Total time: 4 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 tbsp olive oil, plus a drizzle; 1½ kg pork shoulder, cut into 5cm chunks; 1 onion, finely chopped; 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunky bite-sized pieces; 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2 tbsp plain flour; small handful sage, chopped; 300ml dry cider; 350ml chicken stock; 150g button mushrooms, halved; 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and cut into wedges; handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 50ml double cream; 1½ tbsp cider vinegar; 2 tsp dijon mustard; 4 medium-sized floury potatoes, peeled and cut into very thin slices using a mandoline, if you have one; 2 tbsp butter, softened; cooked greens and glasses of cider, to serve (optional)

Pot of pork stew topped with sliced potatoes with a wooden spoon lying next to it

1 tbsp olive oil
plus a drizzle
1½ kg pork shoulder
cut into 5cm chunks
1 onion
finely chopped
2 carrots
peeled and cut into chunky bite-sized pieces
2 parsnips
peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 garlic cloves
crushed
2 tbsp plain flour
small handful sage
chopped
300ml dry cider
350ml chicken stock
150g button mushrooms
halved
2 eating apples
peeled, cored and cut into wedges
handful of flat-leaf parsley
finely chopped
50ml double cream
1½ tbsp cider vinegar
2 tsp dijon mustard
4 medium-sized floury potatoes
peeled and cut into very thin slices using a mandoline, if you have one
2 tbsp butter
softened
cooked greens and glasses of cider
to serve (optional)

Method

step 1
Heat the oil in a casserole or heavy pan. Fry the pork in batches for 8-10 mins, turning a few times, until really golden brown. Remove to a plate while you fry the remaining batches. Add a little more oil if you need to.
step 2
Once all the pork has been browned, lower the heat and fry the onion for 6-8 mins or until soft. Stir in the carrots and parsnips, and cook for 5 mins more, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min. Stir in the flour and sage, then add the cider, scraping the bottom of the pan.
step 3
Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 4. Tip the pork and any resting juices back into the pan, and pour over the stock to just cover the meat. Bring to a simmer, season well, then transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hrs-2 hrs 30 mins or until the meat is tender but not falling apart, as it will cook more later on. Or transfer to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hrs. Remove the lid for the final 30 mins to thicken the sauce – it needs to be fairly thick for the potatoes to sit on top.
step 4
While the stew is reducing, fry the mushrooms and apples in a drizzle of oil in a frying pan until golden and lightly caramelised. Season, then stir them into the stew, along with the parsley, cream, vinegar and mustard.
step 5
Turn up the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Transfer the stew to an ovenproof casserole or baking dish if you need to. Arrange the potatoes over the stew in a spiral, overlapping each other. Dot over the butter and season. Put back in the oven for 50 mins-1 hr or until the potatoes are tender, golden and crisp around the edges. Serve with greens and a glass of cider, if you like.