Pork and parsnip cobbler

ingredients

• Pork and parsnip cobbler

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
  • 700 gram pork shoulder, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 12 small pickling onions
  • 2 tablespoon plain flour
  • 3/4 cup white wine
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 2 large chicken stock cubes
  • 825 gram can apricot halves, drained
  • 2 parsnips, peeled, cut into 3cm pieces
  • 2 cup self-raising flour
  • 60 gram chilled butter, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 2 eggs

method

• Pork and parsnip cobbler

  • 1

    Heat oil in a 2.5-litre (10-cup) flameproof ovenproof dish over moderately high heat. Cook pork, in batches, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a heatproof plate.

  • 2

    Add onions to dish; cook and stir for 3 minutes or until browned. Return pork to dish. Sprinkle flour into dish; cook and stir for 1 minute or until combined. Add wine, garlic, fennel seeds and crumbled stock cubes. Place half the apricots in a food processor and process until smooth. Add to pan with 2 cups water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat; cover. Simmer for 1 hour. Add parsnip; simmer, covered, for 25 minutes more or until vegetables and pork are tender Stir in remaining apricots.

  • 3

    Meanwhile, preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan forced. Place flour in a bowl. Rub in butter to make fine crumbs. Stir in thyme. Make a well at centre. Whisk milk and 1 of the eggs in a jug; add to flour mixture. Using a round-bladed knife and a cutting motion, mix until just combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth. Press into a disc, about 2cm thick. Using a 5cm round cookie cutter, cut 12 discs from dough.

  • 4

    Arrange dumplings over pork mixture. Brush tops with remaining whisked egg. Bake, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until dumplings are golden and cooked. Remove from oven. Stand for 5 minutes. Serve.

notes

Use 3/4 cup chicken stock instead of the wine. Swap fresh thyme for 1/4 dried. Cook casserole to end of Step 2 one day ahead. Cover, then refrigerate. Reheat before adding dumplings.