Recipe
This juicy, fall-apart, slow-cooked pork, coated in hearty Italian flavours of tomato, garlic and herbs is sure to impress at your next dinner.
It’s surprisingly easy and the magic actually happens when you leave the kitchen!
Tumbled atop of this soft, creamy polenta reminds me that winter isn’t actually so bad. We washed this down with a Los Boldos Carmenere 2013 but any earthy red would be delicious.
Serves 6 hungry souls (and is perfect in a pie or sandwich the next day)
2 kg pork boneless pork shoulder
2 good splashes olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 rosemary sprigs
300 ml white wine
3 x 400 g cans tinned tomatoes
1½ cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Polenta
3 cups water
1 cup polenta
1/2 cup cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan
40g butter
For the pork, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until onion has softened. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
Heat remaining oil in a large casserole pan over medium–high heat. Season pork, then add to pan and cook, turning, for 8 minutes or until browned all over. Reduce heat to medium, then add onion mixture, rosemary, wine, tomatoes and chicken stock – liquid should come about two-thirds up the side of the pan. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 2-2.5 hours or until meat is tender and falling apart. Remove pork from liquid and shred with a fork. Add back to the liquid and reduce over a low heat for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
For the polenta, bring the water to the boil in a large heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Very slowly add the polenta in a thin steady stream, whisking constantly until incorporated.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes or until the mixture thickens and the polenta is soft. Once cooked, remove from the heat and add cream, parmesan and butter. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Enjoy!
No Comments