Ever get a hankering for pork?

I know I've been on a bit of a bread trip lately... and will continue to be for some time, but I feel the need to come back to my first love, pork.
There have been many times that I found it suiting to tell people that "Pork is my tummy's boyfriend". I stand by that statement. Wholeheartedly. 100%.
I like the ribs, I like the butt, I like hams and shoulder and belly. I LOVE bacon- and really who doesn't. Even veggie heads say that they miss real bacon. Perhaps it's time for a few of my favorite pork recipes. Braised Shoulder ( we know I love a braise), Pancetta  Wrapped Trout and Bacon Mayo. Yep I said it. Bacon Mayo- and not this crap you buy where they add liquid smoke and call it bacon. I'm talking make your own mayo  using the bacon fat.




Braised Shoulder

• 2 pounds pork shoulder roast-trussed ( tied- ask your meat cutter to do it if you don't know how)
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme, chopped
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and small diced
• 2 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup pinot noir or any other light bodied red.
• 1 large can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Season pork with the salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Sear pork in the hot oil until well browned on all sides.
2. remove pork. 
3. saute onion, celery and carrot; cook until onion is soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. De-glaze with wine, scraping all the fond ( that crunchy browned goodness on the bottom of the pan) up into the sauce. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
4. put the pork back into the pot. 
5. simmer for several hours, either stovetop or in a 325 degree oven. 
6. enjoy once the meat is tender. this is great on a parm polenta or a fresh papredelle.

 

 

Pancetta Wrapped Trout

• 4 whole (12 ounce) trout, cleaned with tails and heads on
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 lb pancetta, sliced ( bacon or prosciutto may be subbed for pancetta)
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Remove gills from fish and discard. Rinse fish under cold water. 
2. Season the inside of the fish with a pinch of salt
3. In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat. 
4. In shallow dish, combine the flour, salt and pepper and cayenne. wrap trout in pancetta. Raise heat to high. Dredge fish in flour mixture, fry in hot oil for about 4 to 6 minutes on each side or until meat flakes with a fork. Serve over a green salad, white bean salad, or a potato cake.

 Bacon Mayo

• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 tsp. apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 C. canola oil
• 1/4 tsp dijon mustard
• l1/4 c warmed bacon fat...not hot fat warm fat. Just warm enough to move it from solid to liquid stage.
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place egg yok in a wide mouthed bowl
2. add dijon and vinegar and whisk like the wind. 
3. slowly SLOWLY!!! dribble in the canola oil, whisking as continuously and strongly as you can ( this will hurt your arm- that's how you know you're doing it right!)
4. once the oil is gone, continue with the warm fat, whisking like all get out. 
5. add salt and pepper to taste 
6.  serve with that leftover trout on a sammie!

Note: if your mayo starts beading and looking curdled, it's "breaking". Fear not!  add 1 /2 tsp of very warm almost hot water to it and whisk harder than you thought you ever could. that should save it.

Ahh, pork. you are magic in any shape.