Shoulder of pork is good value and your butcher will prepare excellent quality Irish pork for you for this recipe. You could also do this meal with chicken legs but remember the cooking time will be quicker.

People usually use brioche buns, but I have tried this with Waterford Blaa from Walsh’s Bakehouse in Waterford and they are fabulous. Michael and Dermot Walsh are the third generation of bakers in the family and, in 2013, the Waterford Blaa was awarded Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) by the European Commission.

There are many great Irish ciders available these days. You could try Stonewell from Carrigaline in Cork, or Scotts in Cavan.

This salad has beautiful citrus flavours and as paw-paw is not easy to get I often use mango. To present it in the pineapples is a lot of work but it does have that wow factor if you are entertaining. Let’s hope those days are not too far away. You could chop the pineapple and add a little chopped mint, extra virgin olive oil and chilli for a nice salsa.

Happy cooking,

Neven

Recipes

Pulled pork. \ Photography: Philip Doyle. Food styling: Sharon Hearne-Smith

Pulled pork

Serves four to six

2 tsp smoked paprika

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp coarse black pepper

2 tsp light muscovado sugar

1 tsp sea salt

900ml dry cider

2 1/2 kg (5 1/2lb) boneless pork shoulder

300g (11oz) smoky barbeque sauce

Soft white rolls/Blaas and coleslaw, to serve

  • 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F, gas mark 4). Mix together the smoked paprika, cumin, muscovodo sugar, salt and pepper and rub all over the pork shoulder. Put the pork into a big casserole dish and pour in the cider, then cover with a lid. Bake for six to eight hours, until falling apart (check every few hours to ensure it does not go dry – if it does, add another glass of cider).
  • 2 Take it out of the oven and put the pork in a big dish; leaving the liquid in the casserole. Cut the skin off, then shred the meat using two forks. Ditch any fatty bits and skim any excess fat from the surface of the sauce.
  • 3 Add the barbecue sauce to the casserole, mix it in and then ladle some into a bowl, for dipping. Add the pulled pork back into the casserole dish with the juices so it stays moist. Season to taste (this can be made one day ahead).
  • 4 Serve in soft white rolls/Blaas with coleslaw and the bowl of juices on the side for “French dipping” the sandwich as you eat.

    • Pineapple shell salad

    Serves four

    2 small firm, ripe pineapples

    2 tangerines

    1 ripe paw paw (or mango)

    2 ripe kiwi fruit

  • 1 Cut the pineapples in half lengthways, including the green plume on the top, with a very sharp knife. Place the pineapple halves on a board, cut side up, and, using a small, sharp knife, cut around the inside; being careful not to pierce the skin. Then, cut a criss-cross pattern across the pineapple flesh, with each square being about 1cm (1/2 inch), cutting down with the knife as far as you can go without piercing through the skin. When you have done this to all of the pineapple halves, get a large bowl and a strong spoon. Dig the spoon into the knife cuts and scoop out the pineapple cubes.
  • 2 Peel the tangerines and divide them into segments. Split the paw paw in half lengthways, scoop out the black seeds and peel. Trim the kiwi fruit of their skin. Cut the paw paw and the kiwi fruit into 2.5cm (1 inch) cubes. Mix all the fruit together and then fill the pineapple shells with the fruit salad. This salad can be made and kept chilled two hours before serving.