Rhubarb braised pork, roasted parsnips and flower sprouts

I love a pot roast lamb shoulder with vinegar and onions but this does the same thing, the natural acidity of the rhubarb providing the perfect match for this delicious slow-roast pork. Similar to brussels sprouts (although a lot less dense) flower sprouts (also known as rosetti sprouts) roast well, giving a result similar to roasted kale or cabbage wedges, both of which make good substitutes.

Credit: Hardie Grant Books

• serves

  6

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  1:30 hour

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 x 800 g (1 lb 12 oz) boneless pork shoulder
• 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
• 400 g (14 oz) rhubarb stalks, cut into thirds
• 2 red onions, peeled and cut into eighths
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp salt

Parsnips and flower sprouts

• 6–8 small parsnips (600 g/1 lb 5 oz), peeled and quartered lengthways
• 100 g (3½ oz) flower sprouts or 200 g (7 oz) brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 tsp rapeseed oil
• ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas 4) and season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper.

Heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan, add the pork shoulder and brown on all sides. Transfer the browned pork to a large casserole dish together with the rhubarb, onion, garlic, paprika and salt. Cover the dish first with foil and then the lid and cook in the oven for 40 minutes.

Remove the casserole from the oven, uncover and remove the foil. Turn the pork shoulder over and give the rhubarb and onion mixture a stir through. Re-cover, return to the oven and cook for another 40 minutes, or until the pork is tender, juicy and falling apart.

While the pork is cooking, toss the parsnips, sprouts, oil and nutmeg together in a bowl to coat. Add to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for the final 30 minutes of the pork cooking time.

To serve, use a pair of forks to separate the pork meat into shreds. Divide the shredded meat between serving plates, spoon over the pork cooking juices and the rhubarb and onion mixture and serve with the roasted vegies.

Recipes and images from Nordic Light by Simon Bajada (Hardie Grant Books, $49.99, hbk).

View our Readable feasts review and more recipes from the book here.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.