Ingredients: Pork With Tomato & Fennel Sugo

  • 5-7 pound bone in pork shoulder
  • Kosher salt
  • fresh ground pepper
  • 2 – 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
  • 2 cups white wine
  • 8 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 large fennel bulb, thinly sliced
  • 3″ sprig fresh rosemary, leaves stripped
  • 3 tablespoons Hojiblanca Olive Oil

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 450.
  2. Rub the entire pork shoulder with a tablespoon of Hojiblanca olive oil, season the entire surface area liberally with salt and fresh ground pepper and place in the roasting pan, fat side up.
  3. Arrange the vegetables around the roast in the pan, drizzle and toss with another tablespoon of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Reduce the oven to 350.
  5. In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, wine, a tablespoon of Hojiblanca, and the rosemary leaves.
  6. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
  7. Pour evenly over the roast and vegetables in the pan.
  8. With heavy duty foil, tightly seal the roasting pan and roast at 350 for five hours.

Meanwhile, make the polenta.

Ingredients: Fried Romano Polenta

  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups polenta
  • 2 shallots, finely minced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
  • 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano
  • fresh ground pepper
  • Kosher salt
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 tablespoons plus enough to fill a frying pan 2″ (Go with Cobrancosa, Cornicabra, or a medium Picual for this recipe!)

Directions:

  1. In a 3+ quart sauce pan heat one tablespoon of olive oil.
  2. Saute the onion until translucent, about three minutes.
  3. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.
  4. Add the broth and bring to a simmer.
  5. While stirring constantly, add the polenta in a steady stream.
  6. Continue stirring constantly for 20-25 minutes until the polenta is thick.
  7. Add the cheese, remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Immediately pour the polenta in to a 9″x13″ baking dish and allow to cool.
  9. Refrigerate covered in plastic wrap.
  10. Cut the polenta in to sqaures or rectangles approximately 3″ x 3″ in size.
  11. Heat 2″ of olive oil to 350 on a deep fry thermometer in a heavy, deep sided frying pan.
  12. Fry the polenta slices a few at a time, approximately 3-5 minutes per side until golden brown.
  13. Serve the pork in large shreds with the sauce from the pan over the hot, crispy polenta.

Serves 8

Re-posted from the Veronica Foods blog.