Go big or go home :)

I wanted to create a blog where I can share my love of food and cooking. I am a complete cookbook junky. I don't always succeed in my cooking venture, I may have been known to burn boxed mac and cheese and I have set off the fire alarm more times than I care to admit. However, every once in a while I actually make some pretty tasty stuff. My first post will feature a recipe from Fabio Viviani's cookbook "Fabios American Home Kitchen". My sister-in-law and I were lucky enough to meet him at a wine signing event at whole foods this weekend and I was so inspired. He is such a warm and nice person. 

I decided to try his roasted pork shoulder with Tuscan salmoriglio sauce. Looks absolutely delicious and I just so happened to have a pork shoulder in the freezer.

As always, I didn't read the entire recipe before I started so a few hours before my guests were coming over to enjoy this masterpiece, I realize that I was supposed to let it sit in the fridge overnight covered in salt and sugar. Oh well, I decided to cover it in salt and sugar while I was preparing all the ingredients and I must say, the end result was great so if you miss this step I don't think it matters too much.

Here are the ingredients used for the meat. I decided to skip the anchovies and it still came out great. I just added a touch more salt to the paste. 

I mixed up all the ingredients in a food processor and rubbed it all over the meat. I then browned it in a dutch oven on all sides, added the broth and put it in the oven, covered. I used a thermometer instead of relying on the time it says in the recipe. I had an 8lb piece of meat and it also had a bone so I figured that may make the time change a lil. It ended up taken about an hour less so I'm glad I did that. 

When it was done I started preparing the sauce. 

Again I just mixed everything in a food processor. It sounded like a lot of lemon but the sauce actually needed it. I actually forgot to take an after picture when it was all done. We all started eating and but I snapped some pics of the half eaten deliciousness :)

Here is the full recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients for the pork:

• One 4-pound boneless pork shoulder
• ½ cup kosher salt
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons fresh oregano
• 3 tablespoons fresh thyme
• 10 anchovy fillets, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup beef or vegetable stock

Ingredients for the Salmoriglio Sauce:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 2 shallots, finely minced
• 10 fresh mint leaves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Juice of 2 lemons
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder

Directions for the pork:

1. Rub the pork with salt and sugar, wrap it in plastic wrap, and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator.

1. Preheat the oven to 300°F.

1. With a wet cloth, wipe the remaining sugar and salt from the pork. Put the oregano, thyme, anchovies, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor and blend into a fine paste. Rub the paste all over the meat.

1. Pour the olive oil in a pot or casserole large enough to hold the pork and turn the heat to medium. Add the meat and brown it on all sides. Add the stock, cover the pot, and transfer it to the oven. Roast the pork until it is fork-tender, about 3 ½ hours.

Directions for the sauce:

1. Combine the garlic, pine nuts, shallots, mint, thyme, parsley, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and onion powder either in a food processor or in a bowl with a whisk.

To serve:
Slice the meat in thick slices (a serrated knife works well) and drizzle with the salmoriglio.