Pork belly and pigs’ cheeks in red wine sauce with gnocchi recipe
 This is a rich and flavourful dinner that is perfect for a dinner party or special occasion. 50g/1¾oz butter500g/1lb 2oz pigs’ cheeks, fat on and each cheek cut in half500g/1lb 2oz pork belly, cut into chunks 1 onion, thinly sliced100g/3½oz smoked lardons1 tbsp flour1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled750ml/1¼ pint red wine 2 thyme sprigs1 bay leaf3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 50g/1¾oz butter 500g/1lb 2oz pigs’ cheeks, fat on and each cheek cut in half 500g/1lb 2oz pork belly, cut into chunks 1 onion, thinly sliced 100g/3½oz smoked lardons 1 tbsp flour 1 head of garlic, cloves separated and peeled 750ml/1¼ pint red wine 2 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks 500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, skin on and cut into even-sized chunks2 free-range egg yolks100g/3½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting50g/1¾oz butterbunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and shredded, to garnishsalt and freshly ground black pepper 500g/1lb 2oz potatoes, skin on and cut into even-sized chunks 2 free-range egg yolks 100g/3½oz plain flour, plus extra for dusting 50g/1¾oz butter bunch of fresh basil, leaves picked and shredded, to garnish salt and freshly ground black pepper Method For the pork in red wine sauce, heat the butter in a casserole dish and sauté the pigs’ cheeks and pork belly for a few minutes, turning until the meat is browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.Add the onions and lardons to the casserole. Sweat for 10 minutes, or until the onion has softened and the lardons are cooked. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then add the meat back to the dish. Add the garlic, wine, thyme, bay leaf and enough water to just cover the ingredients in the dish. Simmer for 1–1½ hours, or until the meat is completely tender. Add the carrots and more water if needed and cook for another 30 minutes. If the sauce needs to reduce, cook for slightly longer. Remove the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Meanwhile, make the gnocchi. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted cold water. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart (about 15–20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes). Drain and leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins. While the potatoes are still warm, mash them until very smooth or pass through a ricer, then set aside to cool completely.Season the cooled potatoes with salt and pepper, stir in the egg yolks and add the flour. Bring the mixture together to form a dough. Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and roll out the dough into long sausage shapes. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into dumpling shapes of about 2cm/1in. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop in the gnocchi. Simmer until they rise back to the top then lift them out with a slotted spoon. Leave to drain on kitchen paper. Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the gnocchi. Fry gently on each side until the gnocchi just starts to colour. Garnish the gnocchi with the basil and serve with the pork in red wine sauce. For the pork in red wine sauce, heat the butter in a casserole dish and sauté the pigs’ cheeks and pork belly for a few minutes, turning until the meat is browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. For the pork in red wine sauce, heat the butter in a casserole dish and sauté the pigs’ cheeks and pork belly for a few minutes, turning until the meat is browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and lardons to the casserole. Sweat for 10 minutes, or until the onion has softened and the lardons are cooked. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then add the meat back to the dish. Add the garlic, wine, thyme, bay leaf and enough water to just cover the ingredients in the dish. Simmer for 1–1½ hours, or until the meat is completely tender. Add the carrots and more water if needed and cook for another 30 minutes. If the sauce needs to reduce, cook for slightly longer. Remove the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Add the onions and lardons to the casserole. Sweat for 10 minutes, or until the onion has softened and the lardons are cooked. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute, then add the meat back to the dish. Add the garlic, wine, thyme, bay leaf and enough water to just cover the ingredients in the dish. Simmer for 1–1½ hours, or until the meat is completely tender. Add the carrots and more water if needed and cook for another 30 minutes. If the sauce needs to reduce, cook for slightly longer. Remove the garlic cloves, thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Meanwhile, make the gnocchi. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted cold water. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart (about 15–20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes). Drain and leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins. While the potatoes are still warm, mash them until very smooth or pass through a ricer, then set aside to cool completely. Meanwhile, make the gnocchi. Place the potatoes in a saucepan of salted cold water. Bring to the boil and cook until the potatoes are tender, but not falling apart (about 15–20 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes). Drain and leave to cool slightly. When cool enough to handle, remove the skins. While the potatoes are still warm, mash them until very smooth or pass through a ricer, then set aside to cool completely. Season the cooled potatoes with salt and pepper, stir in the egg yolks and add the flour. Bring the mixture together to form a dough. Season the cooled potatoes with salt and pepper, stir in the egg yolks and add the flour. Bring the mixture together to form a dough. Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and roll out the dough into long sausage shapes. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into dumpling shapes of about 2cm/1in. Sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and roll out the dough into long sausage shapes. With a sharp knife, cut the dough into dumpling shapes of about 2cm/1in. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop in the gnocchi. Simmer until they rise back to the top then lift them out with a slotted spoon. Leave to drain on kitchen paper. Bring a large pan of water to the boil and drop in the gnocchi. Simmer until they rise back to the top then lift them out with a slotted spoon. Leave to drain on kitchen paper. Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the gnocchi. Fry gently on each side until the gnocchi just starts to colour. Garnish the gnocchi with the basil and serve with the pork in red wine sauce. Heat the butter in a frying pan and add the gnocchi. Fry gently on each side until the gnocchi just starts to colour. Garnish the gnocchi with the basil and serve with the pork in red wine sauce.