x
There are a few times I’ve cooked a festive dinner for a group of people with little planning, little access to quality ingredients and little available equipment. This weekend’s easter dinner was one of them, and it solidified that this is the recipe I turn to in that instance : maiale al latte, or, pork cooked in milk.
This is also a very suitable spring-time braise, whereas many braises are strictly winter for me. First, as Em points out, there's something vernal about milk - about birth/rebirth etc. Also, this doesn't need to be served piping hot. It's nice with the meat cool and the sauce just warm. And finally it works well served alongside green things like asparagus, peas and salad.
And all you need is pork, milk and onion.
A few recipes add other aromatics - herbs like sage, thyme, rosemary, or lemon zest and chilies – you can add these in your braise with the milk, but I don’t think they are necessary.
I have experimented with a few different cuts of pork, depending on what I can find. Pork loin is traditional. You can also use pork shoulder, and cook for 2 hours, which is delicious, but it slices kind of weird for the presentation.
 |
Pork cooked in milk
Heat a few tablespoons of neutral oil in a dutch oven or skillet that has a lid. Salt the pork then brown it in the pan on all sides (this takes about 8 minutes). I like to really brown it. Remove the pork to a plate, then add 2-3 yellow onions per pound of meat, peeled and cut in half. Brown the onion a little, then add the pork back. Add milk enough to cover the meat and onions. If you run out of milk you could add a little wine or stock or water. Bring to a boil then turn the heat down to just below a simmer.
If using pork loin – cook on stove for 1 hour 30 minutes.
If using pork tenderloin – cook on stove for 45 minutes.
After that time, remove pork from pan. Reduce milk sauce for 30 minutes. It will be chunky with milk curds, and the onion will be very soft. Taste the sauce and season with salt.
~It is unorthodox – to the extent that I would not call this recipe maiale al latte just because of this step -- but I really like to use a blender or food processor to blitz up the sauce at this point. It takes on a creamy coffee color and is sort of like a soubise, a classic pairing for pork tenderloin. It’s a little…french in its refinement and tradition. If you want to honor the Italian way, just pour the sauce with the chunky curds over the pork at the end. ~
Turn on the broiler. Place pork under the broiler. This is just to give a little more color and crispness. Remove from oven, let rest a minute, and slice the pork.
Pour sauce on top and serve more sauce on the side.
Also :
It can be nice to make a fruit sauce in addition to the milky onion sauce. If you’re in the scenario I’ve been in with little fresh produce, you can get some frozen cranberries or other red fruit, heat in a saucepan with water, add some sugar and thicken over heat. This time of year I love to get some rhubarb and cook that in a little water and sugar and serve that with the pork. Some sliced apples cooked in honey and water would also be nice.
This dish is definitely 'wine food' - it goes well no matter what wine direction you choose. From our online shop, I've personally tried the La Navine Chenin Blanc from Babass. I opened this while I started cooking. It's initial spritz was so refreshing, but there's a deeper, nuttier wine underneath - delicious with the pork. I also recommend the Rosso di Gaetano from Le Coste, served with a chill. That wine IS the red fruit/rhubarb sauce to be friends with the soubise.
We have those wines and many more delicious things to drink throughout the week ahead in the store. Please feel free to email us at rainbowwinechi@gmail.com or DM @rainbowwines on instagram and let us know if you try out this recipe, or any others. We love to hear from you!
-Cub
No comments:
Post a Comment