Pig killing – tough sounds barbarian – used to play and important role in village life. Tamás Gere, owner of Gere Tamás & Zsolt Winery also participated in pig killing events at his mother-in-law’s house. Now pork is delivered all cut, but filling sausage and seasoning it is still crucial for the Villány winemaker.

„I keep telling my son that sausages and salami should be seasoned in excess, but he says we should be more restrained so that everyone can taste them. The situation is the opposite in the winery: he experiments boldly, while I can barely hold him back with the same argument that eversyone should be able to like it” – says Tamás Gere in the book „How to cook in Europe” written by a Hungarian couple, Violet and Gábriel Őszy-Tóth. The illustrated, hard cover, English language book is a lovely album, along with How to cook in Hungary. The recipe below is from How to cook in Europe, the favourite dish of Tamás Gere.

Pork knuckle  

Ingredients (for 8 people)
1.5–2 kg sour cabbage
400 g onions
350 g mangalitza bacon (mangalitza is a special, Hungarian breed of pig)
600 g smoked sausage
4.5 kg rear pork knuckle
4 peppers
4 tomatoes
3 spring onions
3 bulbs of garlic
200 g fat or oil
Meat stock
Salt and pepper

Preparation

Fry the mangalitza bacon, add the finely diced onion then fry. When done, pull aside and cover with the sour cabbage washed in cold water. Add some meat stock and put back on the heat. In the meantime slice the mangalitza sausage, place the slices into the cabbage stock, then braise over a low heat.

Debone the rear pork knuckle, rub in salt, freshly ground pepper and garlic, then leave to rest in the fridge for an hour. Heat the fat or oil and fry a crust on all sides of the prepared meat. When ready, put the peppers, the tomatoes and the spring onions next to the met, then keep frying. Add meat stock and simmer covered over a low heat for 1–2 hours, constantly replenishing the liquid. When ready, remove from the stock and let it cool. Chop up then roast in a preheated oven at 180 C until nice and golden brown. Serve it with the sour cabbage and boiled potatoes.

.. and a worthy partner: Aureus Cuvée

The prestige wine of the winery, which is made only in the best vintages. A blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, made with great care and attention. Its beauty lies in the balance. The objective was to find a perfect balance and create absolute harmony. A wine with great ageing potential.

More about Gere Tamás & Zsolt Winery and the wines