Still hungry? Not for long: Catalan Braised Pork Shoulder!

I told you next post would be about the accompaniment to that pile of spinach you've been staring at for the last several weeks. So finally, with a fair bit of embarrassment and apologies if your spinach with raisins and pine nuts has been sitting out getting colder and slimier for the last 31 days waiting for the followup, here it is!
Falling under the category of all good things are worth waiting for and yet another hit from Anya von Bremzen's "New Spanish Table" cookbook, where all has been delicious and...so far...not one disappoint on our plates. This also only confirms what I've been saying ad nauseum that I have come to the conclusions that pork shoulder is easily the best bang-for-the-buck chunk of animal flesh going. Actually, leaving price out of it, it is one of the best cooking/eating experiences at ANY price! This particular dish is amazing, another "restaurant quality" plate of food that is thrills your palate with that perfect savory and sweet combination of flavors allied with fork tender chunks of pork shoulder. So easy, and with a luscious sauce and perfectly delectable leftover potential should you and your guests somehow not finish every bite! Oh, and don't forget some crusty bread for this most sop-worthy of sauces.
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Catalan Braised Pork Shoulder With Dried Fruit
(Porc Guisata Amb Fruita Seca)
"Moist slow cooking brings out the best in a humble cut like pork shoulder,
making it fit for the most festive occasions. The sauce, enhanced with dried
fruit and a whiff of cinnamon, is classically Catalan. Try to get
best-quality organic dried cherries and apricots, ones that have some
tartness. If you're using ordinary dried fruit, you might want to reduce the
amount slightly, so the dish doesn't come out overly sweet. Alternatively,
you can add a splash of red wine vinegar to the sauce at the end. The dish
is best made ahead; cool the pork in the sauce and slowly reheat it."- AvB

SERVES 6

ingredients:
1 boneless pork shoulder, such as Boston Butt (about 4 pounds, trimmed of
excess fat)
salt & freshly ground black pepper (kosher or sea)
2 medium garlic cloves, crushed with a garlic press
2 to 3 tablespoons light olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 cup peeled white pearl onion, thawed if frozen
1/4 cup kirsch (or brandy)
2 cups full-bodied dry red wine (with a lively acidity)
1 cup stock (beef or chicken or both)
3/4 cup pitted dried sour cherries
1/2 cup dried apricot (preferably Californian, halved or quartered if large)
1 large bay leaf
1 small piece cinnamon stick
2 fresh rosemary sprigs

method:
1. Preheat oven to 325º.

2. Using kitchen string, tie the pork shoulder crosswise, spacing the ties 1
inch apart. Rub the pork generously with salt and pepper and the garlic.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a 5 to 6 quart flameproof
casserole or Dutch oven over high heat until almost smoking. Add the pork
and cook until richly browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Add the
remaining oil while the pork browns, if the casserole looks too dry.
Transfer the pork to a bowl. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and pearl onions
to the casserole and brown well, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the kirsch and cook
over high heat until it is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 1 minute.
Add the wine, beef stock, cherries, apricots, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and
rosemary sprigs and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the casserole to
dislodge the brown bits. Season the sauce with salt to taste.

4. Return the pork to the casserole. Cover the casserole tightly and
transfer it to the oven. Bake the pork, turning it once or twice, until it
is very tender and an instant-read thermometer registers 165º, about 1 1/2
hours.

5. Transfer the pork to a plate and cover it with foil to keep warm. Remove
and discard the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and rosemary sprigs. Transfer the
casserole to the stove top and cook the sauce over high heat until it is
slightly syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Remove the string from the pork and discard it. Cut the pork into slices
and arrange on a serving platter. Pour the sauce over the pork and serve.

Cooks note: I picked up the dried fruit for the usual extremely reasonable prices at Trader Joe's. And if you're not using frozen peeled pearl onions then you are a prep masochist who needs counseling!- bb

Coma mi espinaca? Por supuesto!!

I promise no one will have to convince you to eat your spinach after this! If you don't own Anya von Bremzen's definitive book on Spanish cooking called The New Spanish Table, then do yourselves a favor and hit your local book supplier and grab a copy. I have been using it regularly whenever I need a hit of Spanish warmth on my dinner table...which is quite often this winter...and have yet to be disappointed. Easy to follow recipes that aren't just ersatz copies of Spanish dishes, but are the real thing with the proper ingredients, serving suggestions, and depth of flavor that makes this food so freakishly satisfying. Each time I make something it's like a mini vacation in my mouth!

The next two things I'll be posting about were suggested to be served together, and like all von Bremzen's suggestions were spot on. If you have anyone in your house who recoils at the mere suggestion of eating spinach then you need to spring this plate on them. The spinach maintained this brilliantly vibrant green color and slightly crunchy texture, and the addition of golden raisins, garlic, and pine nuts that taken together proves why this is a classic Catalan creation. It was perfect with our Catalan Braised Pork Shoulder with dried fruit (next post, I promise!) She also suggests serving it on morning toast with poached eggs which sounds like a too fabulous breakfast. Plus you can also sub chard or escarole should hell freeze over and there's a spinach shortage at the market.
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Spinach with Raisins and Pine Nuts
Espinacs a la Catalana
from The New Spanish Table
serves 3 to 4 as a side dish (although w and I ate all of it between us, so you might want to bump up the ingredients!- bb)

ingredients:
5 to 6 tablespoons golden or dark raisins
2 packages (each 10 ounces) fresh spinach or 2 medium-size bunches fresh spinach, tough stems discarded
3 to 4 tablespoons fragrant extra-virgin olive oil
6 to 8 whole small peeled garlic cloves, lightly smashed
5 tablespoons pine nuts
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper

method:
1. Place the raisins in a small bowl, add very hot water to cover, and soak until plump, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain well and pat dry with paper towels, then set aside.

2. Rinse but do not drain the spinach. Place the spinach in a large saucepan over medium heat and cover the pan. Cook the spinach until wilted, 4 to 5 minutes, stirring a few times. Transfer the spinach to a colander, and squeeze out the excess moisture by pressing on the spinach with the back of a spoon. Chop the spinach coarsely. (The spinach can be prepared a few hours ahead up to this point.)

3. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or wok over low heat. Add the garlic, pine nuts, and soaked raisins, and cook until the nuts and the garlic are light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, add the chopped spinach, and cook for about 1 minute, stirring to combine evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a serving bowl, and serve.