Braised Pork with Fennel
Why I Love This Recipe
This recipe is originally from Gourmet Magazine - I have made several changes to adjust to my taste. I guess I'm more of a simple girl - this is a great hearty dish and it only gets better as leftovers!
Ingredients You'll Need
3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 t salt
3/4 t black pepper
2 t vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices peeled fresh ginger, smashed
2 (4-by-1-inch) strips fresh orange zest
1 T sugar
1/2 c soy sauce
1/2 c Chinese rice wine or medium-dry sherry
3 fennel bulbs, stalks cut off and discarded, then bulbs sliced lengthwise 1/4-inch thick
Directions
Put oven rack in lower third of oven, and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a deep 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork in 3 batches, turning, about 4 minutes per batch.
Transfer to a bowl as browned.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pot and cook onion and garlic over moderate heat, stirring until golden, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add ginger, zest, and sugar, and cook, stirring 1 minute.
Stir in soy sauce, rice wine, broth, pork with any accumulated juices.
Braise mixture, covered, in oven 1 hour.
Stir in fennel and braise, covered, in oven until fennel is very tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season pork mixture with salt and pepper of needed
