Cider-Braised Pork Shank With Corn Pudding

Ingredients:
2 each pork shank
Salt & pepper
2 whole peeled carrots
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
2 stalks of celery
1 sweet potato peeled and chopped 
24 oz. of apple cider
8 oz. chicken stock
16 oz. demi-glace or beef gravy
2 stalks of fresh rosemary
2 oz. vegetable oil
1 oz. lemon zest
7 sprigs of fresh sage

For Corn Pudding:
12 oz. chicken stock 
12 oz. heavy cream 
2 oz. sugar
5 oz. fresh corn
5 oz. corn muffin mix 
Salt & pepper to taste 
2 oz. butter

Steps:

  1. Season pork shanks with salt and pepper.

  2. Preheat sauté pan with 2 oz. olive oil.

  3. Add pork shanks to pan and sear to golden brown on all sides.

  4. Saute onions, sage, garlic, celery, carrots, rosemary and sweet potatoes until onions are translucent.

  5. Deglaze pan with apple cider and reduce in half.

  6. Add demi-glace or beef gravy.

  7. Cover with plastic wrap and foil.

  8. Let sit for 10 minutes on counter, then place in a 400 degree preheated oven for 4-5 hours.

Corn Pudding:

  1. In sauce pan, add butter and corn, and sauté with salt and pepper.

  2. Add chicken stock, heavy cream and sugar to pan.

  3. Bring ingredients to a boil.

  4. Slowly whip in corn muffin mix until it is lump free. Whip mix until at desired consistency. For a smoother polenta-style pudding, add less corn mix. For a hearty potage-like pudding, add more muffin mix.

Serving:
Remove pork from oven, uncover and set aside. Spoon a mound of corn pudding in a bowl or plate, and then add pork shanks on top. Spoon desired amounts of vegetables and sauce on top and serve warm.