Our chef, Javier Fuentes del Río, surprises us today with one of those dishes that evoke the flavors of the nearby land, of the orchard and the "dehesa" (Spanish pastureland). The recipe we share with you on this occasion speaks of two provinces that have a lot in common; it's a fusion of Zamora's countryside and Salamanca's Iberian mastery.
Guided by our resident chef, we delve into a preparation where white asparagus takes on a unique dimension thanks to the embrace of our Torreón Iberian Pork Jowl.
Fuentesaúco Asparagus with Iberian Pork Jowl is a slow-cooked recipe, honoring its exceptional main ingredients.
With a special sensitivity for pampering artisanal products, Javier Fuentes del Río knows that haute cuisine is not about camouflaging but about enhancing. His cooking thrives on patience, the same patience we use in curing our Iberian products, translating it into well-rested sauces and impeccable textures.
We show you everything in a video, where the chef himself explains how he prepared this very special recipe.
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Ingredients
For the asparagus and Iberian sauce:
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For the Iberian demi-glace: A rich, concentrated stock made from our cured meats (chorizo, morcilla, pork spine, ham bones), roasted vegetables, red wine, sherry wine, and a hint of soy sauce.
For the final touch: Crispy pork rinds (or sprouts) and microgreens for decoration.
Fuentesaúco Asparagus with Iberian Pork Jowl
Step-by-step preparation
White asparagus is delicate by nature, so we treat it with care. The chef advises us to peel it gently, measuring about four fingers below the tip towards the stem, removing the base where the asparagus naturally breaks off.
To preserve all its essence and texture, Javier chooses to vacuum-seal them with a knob of salted butter, sprigs of thyme and rosemary, a few drops of lemon, salt, and pepper. It is cooked at a low temperature, the technique that best respects the delicacy of this product. Once ready, it is briefly seared in a hot pan: the goal is to seal and caramelize all its juices.
It's time to make the sauce, and Javier Fuentes tells us clearly: "Look, this sauce is half the dish."
Following the philosophy of wasting nothing in the kitchen, the chef starts with a base similar to onion soup: plenty of butter, shallots, and onion, gently sweated until translucent. All the asparagus peelings and trimmings are added to this pot, enriched with small cubes of Iberian ham and a thick ham bone broth.
One of the secrets is not to remove the fat, deliberately seeking that characteristic rich and noble flavor of good Iberian pork. After adding a splash of sherry wine, the magic happens during a slow simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Finally, it's blended and strained, resulting in a silky cream that tastes of clean earth and the dehesa.
The dark and powerful counterpoint of the dish is an Iberian demi-glace born from the Torreón tradition. An intensely flavored jus made from roasted vegetables and a combination of our traditional cured meats: chorizo, morcilla, pork spine, and more ham bones. Deglazed with red wine and sherry wine, and with a touch of soy sauce, this stock is reduced over low heat for hours until it becomes a brilliant and concentrated elixir.
Torreón Iberian Pork Jowl: The subtle veil
If there's an ingredient capable of melting and providing heavenly juiciness, it's our Iberian Pork Jowl. Cured with the air of our land, its fat is pure marbling, pink and white streaks that, at the slightest contact with the heat of the freshly seared asparagus, begin to become translucent. It's not just an ingredient; it's the fundamental detail that brings notes of acorn, richness, and an elegance that envelops the palate.
Plating
In the center of a flat plate, the golden asparagus is placed and covered with a generous teardrop of the rich asparagus and Iberian sauce, leaving the tip exposed, free of sauces to appreciate its purity.
With a steady hand, a line of the brilliant cured meat demi-glace is drawn around the asparagus.
Then comes the magical moment of topping with the Iberian Pork Jowl. Using tweezers, the chef crowns the asparagus with a thin sheet of Torreón Iberian Pork Jowl, which conforms and embraces the warmth of the vegetable.
Finally, the dish gains texture and contrast thanks to some chopped crispy pork rinds and some green sprouts that add visual and aromatic freshness.
It's clearly an irresistible bite. Enjoy your meal!