PalmI often saw her lying among the trees. The sun's rays melted into the shadows of the holm oaks, and she basked in the warmth. I saw the piglets born; they were like mice wrapped in whitish slime, disproportionately small next to their mother. In summer, they grunted and splashed in the muddy water while the sow grunted. Now that their life cycle was over, she seemed defeated and alone. Huddled on a bed of leaves, she resembled an altar touched by the light, the great sacrificial stone.
Despite its undeniable presence in the Mediterranean diet, the pig was a very discreet protagonist in cookbooks until the mid-20th century. It is the most raised, most processed, and most utilized animal in traditional cuisine, and yet it is difficult to find it as a central element in the recipes that make up the culinary corpus of our gastronomy.
This apparent absence is largely explained by the fact that different parts of the pig were used to make sausages and other long-lasting products. Fresh meat was ephemeral, while sobrasada, morcilla, and other derivatives provided meat and protein for the entire year. Consequently, everyday cooking did not develop an extensive repertoire of dishes based on fresh pork, except when it was reserved for very specific occasions or for immediate consumption after slaughter.
Saïm
However, pork will be present in most dishes in the form of lard. In the Middle Ages, it was already considered an excellent fat for cooking meat. During this period, there are few references to pork itself; they mainly mention suckling pigs, which are prepared stuffed or roasted, and these are very scarce compared to other animals such as lamb, mutton, and poultry.
In the cookbooks that began to be written from the 18th century onward, pork continues to be mentioned discreetly and in a way that is very much in line with previous centuries, particularly regarding suckling pig, which is prepared roasted or stuffed. Pork appears as the main ingredient when it comes to using its offal, snout, ears, and other parts considered less desirable. It is from the 19th-century manuscripts onward that some previously little-mentioned cuts, such as ribs, loin, and tenderloin, begin to be featured. The ribs will be cooked toasted, baked, or en papillote, accompanied by a sauce, such as ribs with aioli (The cuisine of the village of Menorca(by Bep Alès) and the very edible chops with sauce (Caulas Recipe Book(18th century). The loin is usually cooked whole, as cold meat, or sliced. One of the least mentioned parts is the thigh meat because it was and still is highly prized for making sobrasada. Pedro Ballester records in De re Cibaria (Maó, 1923) A very interesting recipe where the meat is cooked whole and served with a sauce made from the juices of the roast. In some preparations, the meat is called generically, without specifying, especially in casseroles and stews, and when referring to minced meat.
The pig, so present in the landscape and our culture, fades into the background, even more so when compared to other animals. Its contribution isn't found in grand recipes featuring its meat, but rather in its constant presence in everyday cooking.
Today's recipe is a variation of the very edible ribs in sauce from the Caules cookbook. A simple and tasty recipe that you can modify to your liking. In the Menorcan book, the ribs are cooked in the oven en papillote. I've used flat ribs that I've roasted slowly.
Pork ribs in sauce
We'll crush the garlic in a mortar and add the spices and oil. We'll rub this paste all over the meat. We'll let it rest for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
We'll wrap the ribs in parchment paper and then in aluminum foil, making sure the package is well sealed. We'll bake the meat at 140°C (285°F) for two to three hours. To check if the meat is cooked, we'll open the package on one side and see if it easily pulls away from the bone.
Unwrap the meat and roast for another half hour at 180°C (350°F). Meanwhile, make the sauce by crushing the ingredients with a mortar and pestle or a food processor. Add a little stock or the juices from cooking the meat and bring it to a boil. Once it starts boiling, add a knob of butter. When the sauce has thickened, remove it from the heat and serve it with the meat.
Ingredients
1 kg of pork ribs
For the subscription
pepper on board cooking and sweet
2 cloves of garlic
salt
good pepper
the oil
For the sauce
parsley
carnations
good peppercorns
the crust of toasted bread
lemon peel
the broth
butter
