My Pork and Leek casserole is a delicious rustic dish with tender chunks of pork and succulent leek that can be prepared in only 30 minutes. When cooked, the leek in the dish melts to a beautiful mush creating a flavourful coating on the meat. This recipe makes a fantastic meal for people who enjoy meat and the earthy savour of leek. It’s perfect for a quick lunch or dinner, and a great gluten-free and Keto-friendly meal option.

HISTORY OF THE RUSTIC PORK & LEEK DISH.

This is an old rustic Bulgarian dish, prepared by tradition with fresh meat when a pig is slaughtered in a rural household. For centuries, smallholder farming for self-consumption was the way to survive in Bulgarian villages. Although today, this tradition is dying out in many places and smallholder farming is done on a much smaller scale than 30-40 years ago, it still exists. In search of work, many young people are forced to move to the cities deserting the small villages and hamlets, especially in the north of the country and it’s really tragic. Even so, the Pork & Leek casserole remains a favourite classic in Bulgarian cuisine today.

HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS PORK & LEEK CASSEROLE?

📋 INGREDIENTS IN THIS RECIPE

Making the dish is really easy and you will need only a few ingredients:

Meat: For best results, use pork fillet in this recipe. The dish can be made with chicken breast if you do not eat pork.

Leek: Source thick stalks of leek because the leek shrinks when cooked. Using large leeks will ensure a better texture of the casserole.

Oil: The original recipe calls for cooking sunflower oil, but I substitute it with cooking olive oil because it has more flavour. Olive oil is also a healthier option for cooking.

Wine: Back home, most make the dish with homemade red wine. I prefer to use white wine instead because it does not tint the colour of the leek as red wine does.

Spices: If you are making the dish with good-quality fresh pork fillet, you do not need much spicing. You will need salt, some freshly cracked black pepper, and a bay leaf to help break the fats in the meat. I am a great admirer of savoury spice and always use it in my cooking. I would add a teaspoon of savoury to the pan, even though it’s not included in the original recipe.

Chilli: Adding a fresh red chilli is optional to add a spicy zing to the dish.

📖 STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

You will need a heavy-bottomed pan or a casserole dish to cook this simple dish on your hob.

step 1: GATHER ALL ingredient

Cut the pork fillet into medium-sized cubes and pat it dry with kitchen paper. The meat does not require marinating in this recipe, just sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper over it. As long as it’s fresh and of good quality, the meat will release beautiful flavour.

Clean and slice the leek into rustic half-moons.

Step 2: Brown the meat in the pan FIRST

Heat oil in a heavy-based pan on your hob and sauté the meat. Drop a bay leaf with it to help it cook quicker. Stir occasionally and brown it evenly on all sides to a lovely golden colour.

To deglaze the pan, pour wine into the pan with the meat. With a wooden spoon, scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. They will carry beautiful flavours into the casserole.

Step 3: add the rest of the ingredients

When the wine is reduced, add the sliced leek and the chilli to the pan with the meat and sauté until the leek is soft.

This is not a saucy dish, but you should not let the meat and the leek get dry. You may need to add a little water to keep them moist.

Step 4: COOK the dish

Add salt, freshly ground pepper and a pinch of dried winter savoury. If not available, substitute with thyme. Cook the casserole for 10-15 more minutes.

🍲 SERVE MY PORK & LEEK casserole

You can serve this pork & leek dish with chips or fresh crusty bread. It’s well complemented with a winter pickle salad (view my Royal Torshi) and my appetising tomato and sweet pepper relish – Lujtenitsa.

Enjoy! 👨‍🍳👨‍🍳👨‍🍳