Did you enjoy their recipes in our November issue? Looking for some more ideas for your holiday entertaining occasion? Here are a couple more ideas from personal chefs Michael Giraldi and Pierre DeRagon.
Pork Braised with Red Cabbage (Porc Braise´ aux Choux Rouges)
Courtesy Chef Pierre DeRagon
Yield: 6 servings
The casserole of cabbage cooks for two hours before the pork goes into it, and needs three more hours in the oven until the pork is done.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Pork Directions
1. Select a 3 ½ pound pork shoulder butt roast, bone in (including the weight of the bone)
The bone gives the meat more flavor and the cut of meat screams for braising. A long, slow braise will give you remarkably tender, fall-off-the-bone meat.
2. Generously salt and pepper the entire roast.
3. In a large oven proof dutch oven (with a lid): pour in a generous amount (about ¼ cup) of olive oil. Heat the casserole on medium high heat until very hot.
4. Brown the pork roast on all sides until there is a nice brown crust. Remove the roast and set it aside.
5. Reserve about 1.4 cup of the remaining fat in the casserole.
Braised Red Cabbage
INGREDIENTS
•¼ lb. slab bacon
•½ cup thinly sliced carrots
•1 cup sliced onions
•2 lbs. (6-7 cups) of red cabbage (about 2/3 of one large head of cabbage) sliced about ½ inch wide
•2 cups diced tart apples (Granny Smith)
•2 cloves smashed garlic
•½ tsp ground bay leaf
•1/8 tsp ground clove
•1/8 tsp nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
•2 cups good young red wine (Bordeaux or Beaujolais)
•2 cups beef stock (NOT boullion cubes dissolved in water)
•Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut the bacon into quarter-inch strips and simmer for 10 minutes in one quart of water, then drain. This will remove some of the very strong bacon taste that can overwhelm the dish.
2. In the dutch oven: Cook the bacon, carrots and onion in the remaining fat from browning the pork roast, about 10 minutes, until soft but not colored.
3. Stir in the cabbage and when well-covered with the fat and vegetables, cover and cook slowly until the cabbage begins to soften and wilt.
4. Stir in the apples, garlic, spices, wine and beef stock and bring to a simmer on top of the stove.
5. Cover the casserole and place in the oven, letting the cabbage cook covered, for two hours.
6. Remove the casserole, stir the cabbage and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Place the pork roast on top of the cabbage and return to the oven, covered, for another three hours.
7. After the appropriate amount of time has elapsed, remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest, covered, for 15 or 20 minutes.
8. Remove the pork carefully from the casserole (it will be very tender and will fall apart) and set aside. Arrange the cabbage on a platter. Remove the bone from the pork roast and pull the pork meat apart. No cutting will be required. Arrange the pork meat on top of the cabbage.
