Roasted pork leg with potatoes (RO: ciolan la cuptor cu cartofi prajiti) is a common Romanian recipe. The pork leg can be found in butchery shops and it quite cheap. It is usually sold with skin and cut in 2 (one part contains more meat and one part more bone). If cooked properly it’s a delicious, lick your fingers, dish since the gelatinous part is melted and becomes sweet.

Roasted porc leg with potatoes Roasted porc leg with potatoes

Ingredients

  • 2 pork legs
  • potatoes
  • seasonings: 5 garlic gloves, salt, pepper, cumin seeds (1-2 tbs), bay leaves, black pepper

Method

  • wash the legs
  • cover with water, add 2-3 bay leaves and pepper corns and let it boil for 45 mins
  • let it cool for a few minutes while you mix salt, crushed garlic and cumin seeds into a paste
  • drain the liquid (keep 1l for later use) and use your fingers to cover the meat with this paste
  • in a pan add the potatoes and the pork, season the potatoes with salt, pepper and cumin seeds, add about 2cms of liquid and cover everything with an aluminium foil. Make sure it’s tight.
  • add to the oven on a low temperature for 45 – 60 min (~ 180C). Once or twice you can check to make sure there is still liquid. Make sure you take care when opening the foil because of the hot steam.
  • remove the foil and let the leg get a nice crust for 20 – 30 mins. Turn on all sides.
  • serve with pickled vegetables or horse radish.
  • enjoy, and don’t forget to lick your fingers :)