Braised Pork with Fennels

For 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 – 2 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder/butt (tied)
• 3 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 big leek stalk, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1 fat fennel with fronds
• 1 cup hard cider
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp fennel seeds, toasted
• 1 bay leave
• 1 tbsp fleur de sel
• salt and cracked black pepper

Recipe:

1. Cut small slits evenly all over the surface of the pork, insert a sliver of garlic into each slit  (1/4″ deep slit about 1″ apart), rub in salt and cracked black pepper
2. Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a large enameled iron pan, brown the pork well over medium heat, about 10 mins on all sides. Take it out and place it somewhere else to keep warm
3. Preheat oven to 325 F
4. Add 1/2 tbsp oil to the same pan and sautee the carrots and leeks till tender, about 3 mins. Pour in hard cider to bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a high simmer and cook till the cider is reduced to 1/2 cup
5. Bring pork back into the pan, pour the chicken broth over the meat. Stir to combine with the vegetable and cook till the liquid comes to a boil
6. Turn off heat, add in the bay leaf and transfer the covered pot into oven, cook pork till melting tender, 1 1/2 – 1 3/4 hrs
7. In the mean time, chop about 1 tbsp fennel fronds for garnish. Cut the fennel bulb lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices. Heat the remaining oil in a skillet and cook the fennel slices till browned on both sides
8. Add the browned fennel slices to the braising pork during the last 20 mins of cooking
9. Remove pot from the oven and carefully lift the fennel slices onto a serving platter
10. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, let it rest and cool a bit
11. Skim off fat from the sauce, and reduce the sauce to 1/2 cup, strain
12. Slice the meat and arrange on a platter with the fennel, spoon sauce over and sprinkle with chopped fennel fronds
13. Combine toasted fennel seeds and fleur de sel in a small serving bowl/dish, offer to be passed with the braised pork. Sprinkle a pinch if desired
14. Bon appétit!

Serving suggestions: WINE!!!!!!!

NOTES: VERY VERY tasty!!!!! 😀 The fennel seeds & salt combination is a must, it adds another layer of unique flavor to the already flavorful, super tender pork, just remember not to over salt-rub the pork shoulder/butt to begin with. Toasting fennel seeds simply means heating up a small, un-greased pan, put the seeds in,  briskly move the pan back and forth and stop when the seeds become fragrant and slightly dark brown.