Maiale alla Zagara

Name: Maiale alla Zagara
Ingredients: 2 cups good red wine; Juice and zest of 1 large orange; Juice and zest of 1 lemon; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon juniper berries; 6 whole cloves; 3 bay leaves; 1 5-pound loin of boned pork, trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat, rolled and tied at 1 1/2-inch intervals with butchers twine; 1/2 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; Fine sea salt; 1/2 cup good red wine vinegar; 3 large oranges, peeled of both their zest and their bitter white pith and sectioned; 2 lemons, peeled of both their zest and their bitter white pith and sectioned

14 ingredients

21 steps

Ingredients

2 cups good red wine
Juice and zest of 1 large orange
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon juniper berries
6 whole cloves
3 bay leaves
1 5-pound loin of boned pork, trimmed of all but a thin layer of fat, rolled and tied at 1 1/2-inch intervals with butchers twine
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Fine sea salt
1/2 cup good red wine vinegar
3 large oranges, peeled of both their zest and their bitter white pith and sectioned
2 lemons, peeled of both their zest and their bitter white pith and sectioned

Directions

1

In a saucepan, warm the wine with the citrus juices and the zests just to a simmer.
2

In a mortar with a pestle, grind the peppercorns, juniper berries, and cloves to a coarse powder.
3

Remove the wine from the flame and add the spices and the bay leaves.
4

Cover the pot and permit the liquid to absorb flavor from the spices for 1 hour.
5

Place the pork in a noncorrosive bowl just large enough to contain it.
6

Pour the cooled liquid over the pork, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap, and permit the pork to rest for two days in the refrigerator.
7

Turn it several times each day.
8

Remove the pork from its bathreserving the marinadeand dry it with absorbent paper towels.
9

Pat the brown sugar over the surfaces of the pork.
10

In a terra-cotta or enameled cast-iron casserole over a lively flame, heat the oil and brown the pork, sealing all its surfaces.
11

Permit the flesh to caramelize and take on a dark crust without burning ita task that will take at least 10 watchful minutes.
12

Remove the pork to a holding plate and salt it generously.
13

With the flame still high, add the vinegar to the casserole, stirring and scraping at the residue and permitting the vinegar to reduce for 2 or 3 minutes.
14

Strain the reserved marinade and add it to the casserole and, again, permit the liquid to reduce for 2 or 3 minutes.
15

Lower the flame and add the pork to the casserole.
16

With the liquid barely simmering, cover the pork with a skewed lid and braise it for 45 minutes.
17

Add the sectioned oranges and lemons to the casserole, rolling them about in the sauce.
18

Bring again to a quiet simmer and cover the casserole with a skewed lid, continuing the braise for an additional 20 minutes or until the pork is fork-tender.
19

Permit the whole to cool, uncovered, for 1 hour.
20

Very gently reheat the pork in its sauce.
21

Carve it into thin slices, presenting them on a shallow, warmed platter with the braised fruit and spoonfuls of the braising liquors.