We all eat with our eyes first. When I opened the February issue of Bon Appetit, it was a veritable feast! All of the photos were so lovely, so bright, so appealing, I was inspired to try (at least) one of the recipes right away.
This recipe, Pork Shoulder with Pineapple and Sesame Broccoli, rose to the top of the list for 3 reasons: 1. Pork Shoulder. Usually a bargain cut, for which slow-cooking, like in one of my all-time favorites, Pulled Pork Barbecue, tenderizes in the most lovely way. 2. Pineapple. My favorite fruit, this time of year. My mouth waters just thinking about its juicy, sweet-tartness. 3. Broccoli. A staple on my table. Tender, with some crunch. Just the way I like it. Put them all together with some shallots, sesame seeds, and a savory sauce, and it’s magic. A gorgeous bouquet of color, this dish. I had to make it!
Like several dishes in the magazine, this recipe is from Nate Appelman, whose food philosophy seems similar to mine: whole, unprocessed foods, quality meats, fresh vegetables and fruits, and healthy fats, all brought together in ways that balance the flavors of the ingredients. With this philosophy, even the humblest of ingredients shines.
No fancy cooking techniques here, just a sear of the pork steaks, saute the pineapple, roast the broccoli. Pour a simple dressing, and dinner is ready in about 40 minutes. The only thing that seems a bit, I don’t know… maybe…excessive, in a recipe wanting to be “quick”, is the blanching of the broccoli. Blanching produces a brighter color, and helps retain the desired tender-crisp texture. I would say if you can sacrifice the bright beautiful color of the broccoli, you might be able to get by with a quick minute in the microwave with a tablespoon of water or two, before roasting in the oven. Again, I don’t know, but next time (and this is so delicious, there WILL BE a next time), that’s my plan.
And, when you taste it – oh, my, this is simply delicious! The sauce has an Asian flavor, from the ginger and soy sauce, a bit of sweetness from the balsamic vinegar and the party of textures from the broccoli and pineapple make this dish a winner! A great new dinner for the family, this is a must-cook! So eye it, eat it, and Enjoy!
Pork Shoulder with Pineapple and Sesame Broccoli
An easy-to-prepare and healthy dish with so much flavor! This recipe was featured in Bon Appetit, February 2017. It is from Chef Nate Appelman, who cooks with well-marbled (juicy!) quality meats and fresh fruits and vegetables. This dish would be delicious with brown rice, couscous or a nice sourdough bread to sop up the fantastic sauce.
Ingredients
- 2 lb Pork Shoulder (or 4-5 blade chops)
- 1 1" piece of fresh ginger, peeled, grated
- 1 Clove garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tbsp. Plus 2 tsp. Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tbsp. Plus 2 tsp. Soy sauce
- 1 1/2 lb Broccoli (fresh)
- 3 Small Shallots, peeled, sliced
- 2 tbsp. Olive oil
- 2 tbsp. Sesame Seeds (toasted is ok)
- 1 tbsp. Vegetable oil
- 1/2 Small pineapple, peeled and chopped into 1/2-1" chunks
- 1 tbsp. Butter
Instructions
- Cut the pork shoulder into 4 1"-thick steaks. Season with Kosher salt.
- Whisk together the ginger, garlic, 1 T balsamic vinegar, and 1 T soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
- Preheat oven to 450F. Place a roasting pan in the oven to preheat the pan. Divide the broccoli into large florets. Cut the stem into 1/4" planks. Blanch broccoli pieces in a saucepan of boiling salted water until bright green. This takes 10-30 seconds. Remove from the water, drain and arrange on a rimmed sheet. Cool. Pat dry. Toss with olive oil, shallots and sesame seeds. While waiting for broccoli to cool, proceed to the next step.
- In a large heavy skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Sear pork steaks 5 minutes on the first side (don't peek!), then 3 minutes on the second side. A thermometer or probe placed into the steaks should read 135-140F. Transfer to board, and let rest 10 minutes.
- Pour excess fat from the skillet, return to heat and cook pineapple until it is slightly softened and appears brown in spots. This takes about 3 minutes. If it gets dry, feel free to add a few tsp water so it stays saucy. Once done, add butter along with any drippings from the board with the resting pork. Add remaining balsamic and soy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Take the roasting pan out of the oven. Place the broccoli mixture in the pan and roast until lightly browned at the edges but still tender, about 8-10 minutes. Once done, add to the reserved ginger-garlic dressing (from Step 2), and plate with the pineapple and roasted pork.
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