Braised Pigs Cheeks

I'd only once had pig's cheeks before I cooked them in an Italian restaurant in Islington and I'd really enjoyed them. They were on offer in Waitrose so I thought I'd have a go at cooking them myself. They were fantastic, meltingly tender and gorgeous. I have some leftovers which I froze so I'm going to try dong them with barbecue sauce in a sandwich, I have discovered a new food love!

Braised Pigs Cheeks (from Reluctant Housedad)
(Serves 4)

6 pig's cheeks
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp sunflower oil
500ml good quality white wine
500ml chicken stock
1 tsp black pepper
2 star anise
1 tsp chilli flakes

Preheat the oven to 160C.

Heat the oil in a large casserole dish. Dust the cheeks in the flour and then brown them all over in the pan.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the pan and transfer to the oven and cook for 3-4 hours.

When the cheeks are tender, remove them from the liquid and transfer to tin foil. Drain the liquid through a sieve and reserve. This will be the base of the gravy.

Transfer the pigs cheeks in the tin foil to the oven and cook for 30-40 mins.

Put the gravy back into the pan and bubble away until reduced. Serve over the pig's cheeks