Iberian pork carpaccio recipe

Total: 15 min Diners: 4

Carpaccio is one of those Italian recipes that have conquered the world in general and Spain in particular. Currently this is a tremendously popular dish throughout the international panorama. Everyone knows it, in its infinite manifestations, shapes, sizes and colors; but…

Has anyone ever stopped to think about the origin of the name? What is this ‘carpaccio’ if it does not mean anything special? Well, this is true. It has no translation whatsoever, since it is a surname. Vittore Carpaccio was an Italian painter in the 1930s who had the good fortune to coincide in time and space with Giuseppe Cipriani, a Venetian chef who, under the orders of a countess of the time who was taking orders from her doctor, had to invent and design a raw meat dish (it must be said that it was quite a challenge at a time when consuming raw meat was not even contemplated by any stretch of the imagination).

She sliced a piece of beef, sliced it as thinly as she could and seasoned it with some nuts and some lemon. Before the countess’s astonishment at the spectacular dish, he had to improvise the name. As she would later explain, she was inspired by an exhibition of Vittore, whose works were identified by the profusion of red and yellow, characteristics similar to those of the dish. From then on, the field was wide. The carpaccio was modified and versioned wherever it went: of Vegetable Recipes, of oronge egg, of meat of course… Dressings and tastes at the mercy of each one.

And taking advantage of the versatility of this dish, in Spain, Iberian land, we could not fail to use the excellent product we have: carpaccio of Iberian prey, a perfect recipe for Christmas and very delicious.

Yes, one of the most noble parts of the pig and that, being Iberian, of good quality and sanitary controlled; it can be consumed raw perfectly. In fact, it is even better to appreciate all its aromas and textures. The infiltrated fat of a piece like this melts and sticks to the plate or lips as if it were butter.

A gastronomic jewel that can only be appreciated in our country and that, in general, less is usually more. With a lightly seasoned gremolata, we get a great plate of ten with which to surprise and amaze, as happened to the countess, all guests.

How to make Iberian prey carpaccio with gremolata

Ingredients

. Iberian pork shoulder of the best quality, 200 g Extra virgin olive oil, 4 tablespoons Parsley, a large handful of leaves Lemon, 1 pc Garlic clove, 1/2 pc Capers, 1 tablespoon Fried almonds, 1 handful Natural beet powder, 1 teaspoon Salt and black pepper, to taste

Step 1

It is very important to have the best quality Iberian prey and to have it frozen for at least 3 days so that it is very, very hard. It is best if it has been deep-frozen so that it does not lose its properties. With the help of a slicing machine slice the prey very, very thinly, it is important that it is frozen so that the cut is easy and regular. Arrange each slice on a wide plate, so that they overlap slightly but not too much.

Step 2

Add a little olive oil to the meat so that it does not oxidize. We can cover it with cling film and keep it in the fridge for a few minutes until the gremolata is ready.

Step 3

In a mortar or crushing glass place the garlic and parsley leaves and crush well. Add the almonds and make a kind of paste, everything must be very well integrated.

Step 4

Stir in enough olive oil to make a sauce, the beet powder and a tablespoon of lemon juice and a teaspoon of lemon zest. Also add salt and black pepper.

Step 5

Spread the gremolata over the prey carpaccio and serve with some crusty bread.

Tips and suggestions

You can totally dispense with the beet powder if you don’t like it or don’t have any. You can also change the meat for veal or any white fish or tuna, it would also go great.

This recipe works great as a sandwich filling and another variation you can do is to cook the meat lightly with the help of a blowtorch. And on top of a freshly baked pizza? That’s also a great alternative.