Herb-Crusted Iberico Pork Rack with Cabbage & White Bean Purée
Bex Blundy
4
20 minutes
Our Iberico Pork Rack is perfect when served medium rare. The tender meat pairs well with the salty anchovies and briney capers in the herb crust. We like to serve with a zippy vinegar and chicken stock braised cabbage, and a smooth white bean purée.
Ingredients
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Iberico French-Trim Rib Rack (5 bones)
1 can anchovies, plus their oil
15g fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon capers
Zest 1 lemon
1 clove garlic
50g panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
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1 sweetheart or hispi cabbage, cut into quarters
Drizzle olive oil
Salt, to season
300ml high quality chicken stock
Two thin slices of lemon
Tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
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500g white beans, jarred or canned, cannellini or butter bean work perfectly
Salt, to season
Juice of half a lemon
20g butter, melted
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1 tablespoon capers
20g butter
2 tablespoons high quality olive oil
Pinch chilli flakes (optional)
Directions
Prepare the pork rack: Before cooking, defrost your pork rack overnight. On the day of cooking, leave it at room temperature for an hour before cooking.
Preheat the oven: to 190°C.
Make the herb-crust: Using a food processor, blitz together the anchovies and their oil, the parsley, the dried rosemary, the lemon zest, the garlic clove, the panko breadcrumbs and the capers until they make a paste.
Dress the pork rack: Using a sharp knife, score the fat of the pork rack. Brush the rib rack with the dijon mustard. Firmly press the herb crust mixture all over the rib rack, it should stick nicely to the mustard.
Roast the pork rack: Roast for 35 minutes and check the internal temperature with a temperature probe. Iberico pork is best cooked to an internal temperature of 52°C (medium rare.) If you think it needs longer, or would prefer it cooked to medium, cook for another 5 minutes.
Rest the pork rack: Under a bowl or tray for 30 minutes. After resting, carve the pork into chops and serve.
Braise the cabbage: Cabbage is a wonderful accompaniment to Iberico pork. We’d recommend rubbing the cabbage quarters in olive oil and seasoning with salt, then frying on high heat until they have some char. Flip them, cover them in the chicken stock, vinegar and add the lemon slices and finish cooking in the oven for 20 minutes.
Make the white bean purée: In a blender or food processor, blend all of the ingredients together until you get a smooth and thick purée. Heat it in a saucepan when you’re ready to serve.
Make the pan sauce: Frying capers until crispy in butter and olive oil (with a pinch of chilli flakes for some heat if you like) makes the perfect easy pan sauce to serve with this recipe.
Ingredients you'll need
