Pork neck in a walnut and ramsons crust - recipe no. 600

Name: Pork neck in a walnut and ramsons crust - recipe no. 600 - Delia M.
Ingredients: 1 piece of pork neck; a few leaves of ramsons; 1 handful of walnuts; olive oil; 50 ml white wine; ginger; white pepper; Italian spices for the oven

Meat - Pork neck in a walnut and ramsons crust - recipe no. 600 by Delia M. - Recipia

Pork Neck with Nut and Wild Garlic Crust I started cooking this pork neck with a nut and wild garlic crust when I wanted to try something different for a special meal. I usually make this recipe in spring when I find fresh wild garlic. I've tested it several times, especially when I have guests or when I want a pork roast with a slightly different taste. The meat remains juicy and has a subtle herb flavor, while the nuts provide an interesting texture to the crust. It is made with simple ingredients, without complicated steps, but it requires a bit of patience for marinating. Quick Info Total Time: approx. 26 hours (including overnight marinating time) Actual Preparation Time: 20 minutes + marinating time (1 day in the fridge) Baking Time: 2 hours (1 hour covered, 1 hour uncovered) Servings: 4-6, depending on the size of the meat Difficulty: medium (marinating takes time, steps are simple) Recipe Type: oven roast, suitable for family meals or occasions Ingredients 1 piece of pork neck (about 1–1.2 kg) A few wild garlic leaves (8–10 leaves, to taste) 1 handful of nuts (about 50–70 g) Olive oil (1–2 tablespoons) 50 ml white wine Ginger (can be powder or grated, 1/2 teaspoon) White pepper (1/2 teaspoon, to taste) Italian spices for baking (1 teaspoon or to preference) Preparation Method 1. Clean the pork neck of any large pieces of fat or skin, if necessary. 2. Place the meat in a deep dish. Add the olive oil, white wine, ginger, white pepper, and Italian spices. Mix well, massaging the meat with all the ingredients. 3. Cover the dish and let the meat marinate in the fridge for 24 hours. You can turn the piece of meat halfway through the time for even marination. 4. The next day, place the wild garlic leaves and nuts in a food processor. Blend until the mixture is quite chopped but not paste-like. It’s normal for it to remain a bit textured. 5. Prepare a piece of aluminum foil large enough to completely cover the meat. 6. Place a few tablespoons of the wild garlic and nut mixture on the foil. Lay the marinated pork neck on top. Cover the meat and the other side with the remaining mixture. 7. Wrap the meat tightly in the foil. 8. Place the foil-wrapped meat in a baking tray. Pour the remaining marinade sauce and a little water (2–3 tablespoons, just enough to prevent the sauce from burning) into the tray. 9. Put the tray in the oven at medium heat (approx. 180°C) for one hour, with the meat covered. 10. After an hour, carefully remove the meat from the foil (be careful of the steam). Place it directly in the tray to brown. 11. Leave it in the oven for another hour, uncovered, to develop a golden crust. If you feel it’s drying out too much, you can occasionally baste the meat with a bit of the sauce from the tray. 12. Remove the meat and let it rest for a few minutes before slicing. The meat should not be very dry, but it should not have traces of blood either. A slightly pink hue in the middle is normal for this roast, especially after prolonged baking in the oven. Why I Make This Recipe Often This recipe is one I return to especially in spring because wild garlic brings a fresh taste that pairs well with pork. It doesn’t require many ingredients, and the method with the nut and wild garlic crust always yields good results, even if you use fattier or leaner pieces of meat. It can be easily adjusted to the amount of meat you have on hand. Tips and Variations Tips Use fresh wild garlic, as it provides the specific flavor. If you have younger wild garlic, it won’t be too intense. For marinating, you can massage the meat with the spices directly in the bag or in the tray to coat it evenly. If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop the wild garlic and nuts coarsely with a knife, just the texture of the crust will be more rustic. Substitutions You can use another cut of pork (for example, pork chop), but the neck remains the juiciest for this recipe. If you don’t have wild garlic, you can try using spinach leaves or a mix of parsley and green garlic, but the taste will be different. Nuts can be replaced with hazelnuts if you have allergies or prefer a different texture. Variations You can add a bit of lemon zest to the crust if you want a fresher note (I’ve tested this, but I don’t always add it). If you want a thicker crust, double the amounts of wild garlic and nuts. I’ve also tried adding a pinch of sweet paprika to the marinade for a bit of color. Serving Ideas It pairs well with baked or simple mashed potatoes. Plain rice works if you want something more neutral. Alongside the meat, a few steamed vegetables or a seasonal salad help with balance. Frequently Asked Questions 1. Can the meat be marinated for less than a day? Yes, but the flavor won’t be as pronounced. At least 6–8 hours would be the minimum, overnight is ideal. 2. Does the nut and wild garlic crust fall off the meat while baking? If you wrap it tightly in foil and press the mixture well, the crust adheres. At the end, during the uncovered baking, it may slightly detach at the edges, but it won’t completely fall off. 3. Can the recipe be made without wine? Yes. You can omit the wine, but some flavor will be missing. Replace it with a little water and possibly a few drops of lemon juice. 4. How do I know the roast is done without a thermometer? The meat should be tender, not dry and without traces of blood. You can poke it with a fork in the thick part: if the juices are clear, the roast is cooked. 5. What Italian spices do I use? Mixes with oregano, basil, rosemary, thyme work well. It doesn’t have to be exact – any Italian blend for baking works. Nutritional Values Estimation for an average serving (out of 6): Calories: approximately 380–420 kcal Protein: 27–30 g Fat: 25–28 g Carbohydrates: 4–6 g Values may vary depending on the amount of oil used, the fat content of the meat, and the proportion of nuts. The recipe doesn’t have many carbohydrates, but it is quite rich in fats, especially if the pork is fattier. Storage and Reheating Leftover neck can be stored in the fridge in a container for up to 2–3 days. When reheating, cover the meat with foil or a lid to prevent it from drying out too much. The crust won’t remain as crispy, but the flavor is still good. I do not recommend freezing, as the texture of the nut and wild garlic crust changes after defrosting. This is the version I make and consider the most practical for pork roast with nut and wild garlic crust. The recipe doesn’t require complicated techniques and can be adapted based on seasonal ingredients.

Preparation

The pork neck is marinated with all the spices, olive oil, and white wine, and left to marinate in the refrigerator for 1 day. The wild garlic leaves, together with the walnuts, are placed in a food processor and blended well until finely chopped. A few tablespoons of the blended mixture are placed on a sheet of aluminum foil, the meat is placed on top, and the procedure is repeated; the meat should be covered on both sides with wild garlic and walnuts. The foil is closed and placed in a tray together with the sauce formed from the marinated meat, a little water, and baked in the oven for about 1 hour. It is removed from the foil and baked again for another hour. It is served with a side of potatoes or rice. The meat should not be burnt, nor should it be rare, but it can have a slightly pink color; it is very tasty.

Pork neck in a walnut and ramsons crust - recipe no. 600

Preparation

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