Larded Pork Shoulder with Red Pepper Sauce

Lard the pork shoulder: using a small sharp knife, make deep, wide cuts in the meat so that we can push carrots and garlic into the pockets that form. Beforehand we have cut half a carrot into sticks, and we use the garlic cloves whole. The shoulder should be evenly larded on all sides. When ready, season it with salt and red pepper (paprika) and sear it all over in 50 ml of heated oil until it takes on a light crust. Place it in a suitable roasting pan and arrange around it one and a half onions, cut coarsely, together with the remaining carrots. Add the rosemary, a sprig of thyme, 70 g butter, the beer and 300-400 ml vegetable broth. Cover the pan with foil and roast for about two hours in an oven preheated to 220°C, adding the coarsely chopped potatoes 40 minutes before removing the meat. Finally, remove the foil and bake for another ten minutes so that the shoulder gets a nice golden colour.

Meanwhile prepare the sauce: sauté in 30 ml oil the remaining half onion and 2-3 garlic cloves, finely chopped. Add the peppers cut into cubes, the remaining butter and a sprig of thyme. Pour in about half a litre of broth and leave to simmer over low heat until the onion and peppers are completely soft, then add the cream, season with salt and black pepper and let the sauce thicken slightly. Transfer it to a blender and blend until smooth. Finally, strain it.

How to serve: Cut the finished pork shoulder into pieces and serve it with the roasted potatoes as a garnish, together with the red pepper sauce. Pair with cabernet sauvignon or a French blend.

— Ivan Manchev