Secreto de Cochino Negro with Plum Sauce Recipe
Today, we bring you a delicious recipe featuring Secreto de cochino negro, a cut of black pork, paired with a plum sauce. This dish celebrates the long-standing tradition of pig farming in the Canary Islands, dating back to pre-Hispanic times. Archaeological finds and accounts from the 14th century confirm that pigs, referred to as cochinos locally, were brought to the islands by settlers from North Africa over 2,500 years ago.
Ingredients:
- Secreto de cochino negro (black pork cut)
- Garlic
- Onion
- Leek
- Olive oil
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- Dried plums
- Red wine
Method:
Start by chopping half an onion and half a leek. Sauté them lightly in a pan with three tablespoons of olive oil, adding salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they change colour.
Once ready, pour in half a glass of red wine—sweet wine or Malvasia works as well—and add roughly six chopped dried plums. Let the mixture simmer for a couple of minutes until the alcohol evaporates.
Next, add a small glass of homemade chicken broth or water, cover, and cook until softened. Blend the mixture and strain it through a sieve to remove skins.
Add another eight halved dried plums and cook on low heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.
While the sauce simmers, cut the secreto into two pieces: the thinner and thicker parts. This allows for better cooking control.
In a hot, lightly greased pan, sear the secreto along with three whole peeled garlic cloves. Press the garlic slightly to release flavour and remove it before it burns. Season the pork with a pinch of ground pepper and start with high heat, cooking for about a minute on each side to seal the meat. Lower the heat to allow it to cook through without burning the outside.
Finally, plate the dish. Sprinkle flaky salt over the meat and add a few tablespoons of the plum sauce next to the secreto. Enjoy this exquisite delicacy!
