Crispy Pig's Head Croquettes with Bramley Apple Purée

⏱ 300 min · Serves 6

A proper nose-to-tail showpiece: half a pig's head slow-braised until the meat slips from the bone, rolled with mustard and parsley, then crumbed and fried to a shattering crisp. Served with sharp Bramley apple purée and a pile of pickled shallots, it's the kind of snack that makes people go quiet for a second.

Per serving: 610 kcal · 34.0g protein · 32.0g carbs · 38.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1/2 pig's head (about 2.5kg), split, ears on, ask your butcher to singe and clean it
• 2 pig's trotters, split
• 2 onions, halved
• 2 carrots, roughly chopped
• 2 celery sticks, chopped
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 head garlic, halved
• 2 bay leaves, 6 sprigs thyme, 10 black peppercorns
• 200ml dry cider
• 2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 30g)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
• 100g plain flour
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 200g panko breadcrumbs
• 1.5 litres sunflower or rapeseed oil, for frying
• 500g Bramley apples, peeled, cored, chopped
• 25g unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp caster sugar (or to taste)
• 2 banana shallots, thinly sliced
• 100ml cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp caster sugar and 1/2 tsp salt (for the pickle)
• Flaky sea salt, to finish

Method

1. Put the pig's head and trotters in a very large pot with the onions, carrots, celery, leek, garlic, herbs, peppercorns, cider and 2 tsp salt. Cover with cold water, bring to a bare simmer, skimming off any scum.
2. Cook at the gentlest simmer for 3 to 3 1/2 hours, until the meat and the ears are completely tender and pulling away from the bone. Lift the head out onto a tray and let it cool until you can handle it.
3. Strain 400ml of the cooking liquor into a small pan and reduce to about 100ml of sticky, gelatinous stock. Set aside.
4. While still warm, pick every scrap of meat, fat, skin and the ears from the head, discarding bone, gristle and the eye. Chop the whole lot fairly finely — you want texture, not paste.
5. Mix the picked meat with the Dijon, parsley, lemon zest, sherry vinegar and enough of the reduced stock to bind (start with 3 tbsp). Season generously — it should taste punchy while warm.
6. Roll the mixture tightly in cling film into two logs about 4cm thick, twisting the ends. Chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until firm.
7. Meanwhile, pickle the shallots: warm the cider vinegar with the sugar and salt until dissolved, pour over the sliced shallots and leave to cool.
8. For the purée, cook the Bramleys with the butter, sugar and 2 tbsp water in a covered pan over low heat for 10-12 minutes until collapsed. Blitz smooth, season with a pinch of salt, and keep warm or serve at room temperature.
9. Unwrap the chilled logs and cut into 4cm barrels (about 18). Roll each in flour, then egg, then panko, then egg and panko again for a double coat. Chill 20 minutes.
10. Heat the oil to 180C. Fry the croquettes in batches for 3-4 minutes until deep golden and piping hot inside. Drain on kitchen paper and season with flaky salt.
11. Serve three croquettes per person with a swoosh of apple purée and a tangle of pickled shallots.