Ingredients

• 12 pork cheeks
• fat and sinew removed
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 50ml/2fl oz red wine vinegar
• 1 onion
• peeled
• chopped
• 2 carrots
• peeled
• chopped
• 150ml/5fl oz white wine
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 2 star anise
• 2 tomatoes
• chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• peeled
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 litre/1¾pt chicken stock
• 500ml/17½fl oz milk
• 500ml/17½fl oz chicken stock
• 175g/6oz quick-cook polenta
• 25g/1oz grated parmesan
• 25g/1oz unsalted butter
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g/1oz butter
• 200g/7oz curly kale
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium squid
• cleaned
• scored
• cut into triangles
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
• Season the pork cheeks
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a non-reactive frying pan over a medium heat
• and fry the pork cheeks for 4-5 minutes
• or until browned on all sides. Remove the pork from the pan and set aside.
• Carefully drain the fat from the pan add the vinegar
• scraping up any browned bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze. Remove from the heat.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in a frying pan and fry the onions and carrots for 2-3 minutes
• or until softened.
• Add the white wine and spices and continue to cook until the volume of the mixture has reduced by half.
• Place the pork cheeks and pan juices into the pan and add the remaining pork cheek ingredients. Bring the mixture to the boil
• then transfer to the oven to cook for 1½-2 hours
• or until the pork cheeks are tender.
• Remove the pork cheeks from the pan and set aside
• then strain the cooking mixture through a sieve. Reserve the liquid and discard the vegetables.
• Cook the pork cheeks and reserved cooking liquid in a saucepan for 4-5 minutes
• or until the liquid has reduced slightly and the pork cheeks are sticky and glazed.
• Meanwhile
• for the polenta
• heat the milk and stock in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Slowly whisk in the polenta and simmer for 4-5 minutes.
• Stir in the parmesan and butter and season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• To serve
• heat the butter in a frying pan and fry the kale for 4-5 minutes
• or until wilted and tender. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the squid for 1-2 minutes
• or until just cooked. Season
• to taste
• with lemon juice and salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Spoon some polenta onto each of 4 serving plates
• top with the pork cheeks and squid and spoon the kale alongside.