Braised Ibérico Pork Shoulder and Chorizo Stew Recipe

Prepare the choricero peppers by pricking a few holes in the dried peppers and soaking them for 30 minutes in a heatproof bowl with 1 cup boiling water. Remove the peppers from the water and reserve water. Cut the peppers open, remove seeds and lay flat on a cutting board skin side down. With the back side of a knife or a spoon scrape the inside flesh away from the skins. Heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over medium high heat and brown the chorizo links on all sides. Remove the chorizo from the pan to a plate and when cool enough to handle cut into ½-inch slices. Pat pork shoulder cubes dry with paper towels and season with sea salt and pepper. Add remaining 2 tbsp of the olive oil to the same pot used for the chorizo and sear the cubed pork shoulder in batches until nicely browned on all sides. Remove seared pork and set aside with the chorizo. Add chopped onion and garlic to oil used for chorizo and pork cubes. Sauté on medium heat until onion is translucent. Raise heat to medium high and add sugar, paprika and sherry vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring well, and scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat, add red wine and continue to simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato purée, choricero pepper pulp with its soaking water, tomatoes, chicken stock, ½ tbsp thyme leaves, oregano and the bay leaves. Stir in the pork, the chorizo and all their juices. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer gently for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until pork is spoon tender. Stir in the olives and allow to simmer uncovered for another 30 minutes or until stew is desired thickness. Garnish with the remaining ½ tbsp of thyme and serve with spiced roasted carrots , crusty bread and a Spanish Rioja wine.