Pork & Parsnip Cobbler
Recipe GLPRa7ac7b373c4072
A hearty, warming cobbler featuring tender braised pork combined with aromatic celery, dried apricots, fresh herbs, and warm spices. The filling is topped with a light, buttery biscuit crust studded with fresh parsley. Roasted golden parsnips are folded into the rich pork stew before baking. This elegant one-dish meal serves 16 and is perfect for feeding a crowd.
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Ingredients
6 tbsp vegetable oil
900 g pork, diced
2 small onions, finely sliced
1 tbsp plain flour
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
225 g ready-to-eat dried apricots
1 lemon zest
1 orange zest
2 Cox apples, peeled and chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 pinch curry powder
½ tsp ground fennel seed
½ bottle red wine
600 ml vegetable stock
650 g parsnips
200 g self-raising flour
85 g shredded suet
50 g chilled butter, grated
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon zest and juice
1 beaten egg, for glazing
Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, brown the diced pork for 4–5 minutes per batch until the exterior is lightly colored, then transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon. Set aside.
Add the sliced onions to the same pan and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Return all the pork to the pan and sprinkle the plain flour over it. Stir well and cook for 1 minute to coat the meat.
Stir in the chopped celery, dried apricots, lemon zest, orange zest, chopped apples, crushed garlic, thyme, rosemary, sage, curry powder, and ground fennel seed. Pour in the red wine and vegetable stock, stirring gently to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, then cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until the pork is very tender. Remove from heat and set aside.
While the pork is cooking, preheat the oven to 200°C (Gas 6, or 180°C fan). Peel the parsnips and cut them into 2.5 cm chunks. Pour the remaining 4 tablespoons of vegetable oil into a roasting tin and place in the oven for 5 minutes until the oil is hot. Carefully add the parsnip chunks and stir to coat them evenly in the hot oil. Roast for 30 minutes until golden brown and tender throughout. Drain well on paper towels and set aside.
Once the pork is tender, gently fold the roasted parsnips into the filling, being careful not to break them apart. Transfer the entire mixture to a 2-liter ovenproof dish and let it cool to room temperature. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C (Gas 4, or 160°C fan).
To make the cobbler crust, sift the self-raising flour into a large bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the shredded suet and grated cold butter, then use a fork to lightly mix them into the flour until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Add the chopped fresh parsley and stir gently.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the lemon zest and juice. Using a fork, gently bring the dough together until it forms a soft, pliable mass. If it seems too dry, add a little cold water one tablespoon at a time. Do not knead or overwork the dough, as this will toughen it.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to approximately 5 mm thick. Using a 7.5 cm round pastry cutter, cut out circles. Re-roll any trimmings and continue cutting until all the dough is used.
Arrange the dough circles on top of the cooled pork filling, overlapping them slightly so they cover most of the surface. Brush each circle lightly with beaten egg to give it a golden finish.
Bake in the preheated 180°C oven for 45 minutes until the cobbler topping is golden brown and crispy. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.
