Raxo Gallego

Raxo is Galician: cubes of pork loin rested overnight with garlic, a measured hand of pimentón, and a little white wine, then fried quickly and brought to the table with patacas fritas, fried potatoes, and Padrón peppers. The loin matters. Keep the pieces plump and the seasoning gentler than zorza, Galicia's more heavily spiced chopped pork, and you have raxo rather than sausage mixture in a frying pan.

One thing decides it: the pork must reach a properly hot pan without crowding. I drain off the marinade, blot away the loose moisture, and fry the cubes in batches. Put all 800g in at once and they release water, the pimentón catches, and the loin goes grey before it browns. Give each piece room and you get bronzed edges, a garlicky oil gloss, and a juicy middle.

No hace falta haber pisado Galicia. If Padrón peppers aren't sold where you are, use shishitos; they blister the same way, though they're usually milder and a little grassier. The Margin beside this recipe says only: pan wide, pork apart. Siempre sale, si lo sigues. It turns out if you follow it.