Morcilla

Piperrada, Escarole, Guindilla Peppers, Olive Oil, Sea Salt

Chef Mike Conrad of Leña | Detroit, MI

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Adapted by StarChefs  |  May 2025  |  Photo: Alexander Zeren

INGREDIENTS

Morcilla:
Recipe from Chef Alex Burge of Leña
Yield: 2½ kilograms
600 grams pork blood 
4 stalks lemongrass
18 grams Spanish paprika
10 grams ground black pepper 
2 grams bay leaves 
2 grams cloves 
1 onion, small diced 
4 cloves garlic, minced 
1.4 kilograms cubed lean pork, frozen and ground
400 grams cooked bomba rice
200 grams cubed pork fat, frozen and ground
Kosher salt

Piperrada:
Yield: 2 quarts
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
5 Roma tomatoes, chopped
2 Spanish onions, julienned
4 red bell peppers, julienned
10 cloves garlic, chopped
5 grams smoked paprika
5 grams espelette
2 pods star anise
4 dried juniper berries
4 bay leaves 
Kosher salt
Sherry vinegar

Escarole:
Yield: 1 quart
2 heads escarole, cleaned and sliced lengthwise
100 grams extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
3 Cantabrian anchovies, finely chopped 
3 heads garlic, thinly shaved
10 grams espelette 
5 grams lemon zest

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
1 large leaf escarole
Lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Chopped guindilla peppers

METHOD

For the Morcilla:
Heat the water bath of an immersion circulator to 149°F. In a large mixing bowl, add pork blood and lemongrass. Using gloved hands, mix 2 minutes. Strain, discarding lemongrass. Set aside. In a separate mixing bowl, combine paprika, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves. Set aside. In a pan over medium heat, sweat onions and garlic until soft and translucent. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large mixing bowl, combine onions, garlic, spice mixture, pork, rice, and pork fat. Slowly incorporate pork blood, mixing until well-combined. Weigh mixture. Stir in 1.2 percent salt by weight of mixture. Stuff sausages and transfer to vacuum bags. Seal and cook sous vide 1½ hours. Let cool, then refrigerate.

For the Piperrada:
In a large rondeau over medium flame, heat oil. Fry tomatoes, then add onions, peppers, and garlic. Sauté 5 minutes, or until alliums are soft and translucent. Add paprika, espelette, star anise, juniper berries, and bay leaves. Stir to combine. Season with salt and vinegar. Remove and discard bay leaves. Transfer mixture to a Vitamix Commercial blender and purée until smooth. Strain into an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Escarole:
Heat and prepare a grill. On a work surface, brush escarole with oil and season with salt. Grill until lightly charred. Set aside. In a pan over medium flame, heat oil. Add anchovies and garlic. Sauté until aromatic. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside. On a work surface, finely chop escarole. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Season with espelette and lemon zest. Toss to evenly coat. Set aside.

To Assemble and Serve:
Heat and prepare a grill. Heat oven to 400°F. Grill 1 Morcilla until golden on both sides. Transfer to a sheet tray and roast 3 minutes, or until Morcilla is hot throughout. Keep warm. In a small saucepan over low heat, warm Piperrada. In a separate small saucepan over low heat, warm Escarole. In a mixing bowl, dress fresh escarole in lemon juice, olive oil, and salt. Set aside. Place a 2-inch ring mold in the center of a serving plate. Fill mold with warm Escarole. Garnish with guindilla peppers. Spoon desired amount warm Piperrada around Escarole. Remove ring mold. Place fresh escarole next to warm Escarole. On a work surface, season Morcilla with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Place to the left of Escarole. Finish with olive oil.

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