Love in Disguise
Submitted by kel
Love in Disguise: stuffed pig’s hearts braised in tomato sauce with mustard and bay leaves. A traditional British offal dish that turns humble cuts tender and rich.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
40 minCOOK
90 minREADY
130 minLove in Disguise is a classic British recipe that transforms pig’s hearts into a slow-braised, stuffing-filled supper. The name is cheeky, but the dish is proper comfort food, right at home on a chilly evening with a pile of boiled potatoes.
The hearts get trimmed, soaked, and packed with a breadcrumb stuffing flavoured with softened onion, lemon zest, and generous handfuls of fresh parsley. Secured with toothpicks, they’re dusted in seasoned flour and laid into a tomato sauce built from blended canned tomatoes, white wine vinegar, and stock, thickened with a browned butter-flour roux.
Two hours of gentle braising in a covered casserole at low heat turns the hearts beautifully tender. A stir of French mustard into the sauce at the end adds a sharp, savoury kick. A few spoonfuls of yoghurt stirred in just before serving rounds everything out.
Chef Tips
- Trim the hearts thoroughly. Fat, membranes, and arteries should all go. Don’t worry about the natural slashes in the meat.
- Soak in salted water for a full 10 minutes to draw out any residual blood, then rinse and dry well before stuffing.
- Keep the oven low and the lid on tight. Hearts are lean muscle that turns tough if cooked too fast.
- The sauce should be pourable, not thick. Add a splash of stock if it reduces too much during the braise.
Variations
- Use lamb hearts instead of pig’s for a slightly gamier, richer flavour.
- Add a splash of red wine to the tomato sauce for deeper complexity.
- Serve over egg noodles instead of potatoes for a change of pace.
Ingredients
Directions
You may get 2 or 3 large hearts for this weight or several smaller ones.
Whatever the size, they will be slashed; this is normal.
Wash the hearts and trim away waste - fat, membrane, gristle and arteries.
Soak in lightly salted water for 10 minutes then rinse, drain and dry well.
Chop the onion finely and soften it in 1 oz butter.
Away from the heat stir in the breadcrumbs, lemon zest, 4 tablespoons parsley and lots of salt and pepper.
Bind with the egg and milk.
Use the mixture to stuff the heart cavities, and secure the openings with toothpicks or cocktail sticks - there is no need to make perfect closures.
Whiz the tomatoes in a blender, stir in the vinegar and add enough stock to make up to 1 pint.
Dust the hearts thoroughly with the well-seasoned flour.
Melt 1 oz butter in a flameproof casserole, stir in the leftover flour and let it brown a little.
Blend in the tomato mixture and make a smooth, bubbling hot sauce.
Lay the prepared hearts in the sauce and tuck the bay leaves among them.
Cover with greaseproof paper and the lid, and cook at 325℉ (160℃) gas mark 3 for 1 hour.
Turn the hearts gently and continue cooking for 1 to 1½ hours more until meat is beautifully tender.
Transfer the hearts to a warmed serving dish.
Stir the mustard into the sauce, add salt and pepper to taste - and carefully blend in the yoghurt if liked.
Pour the sauce over the hearts, scatter lavishly with chopped parsley and serve with boiled potatoes or noodles.
Source: Philippa Davenport in “Country Living” (British) October 1987.
Typed for you by Karen Mintzias
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