VIETNAMESE PORK WITH ORANGE JUICE AND CILANTRO
Ingredients:
2 1/2 lb. loin of pork, center cut, trimmed of most, but not all the fat
20 small cloves garlic, peeled
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 C. chopped cilantro stalks
1 1/2 C. chicken broth
4 bay leaves
4 whole allspice
SAUCE
1 T. unsalted butter
1 T. fat skimmed from the pan juices
3 green onions, trimmed and finely chopped, with most of the green parts
2 1/2 T. lime juice
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
Juice of 2 large oranges
1/4 C. finely chopped cilantro stalks
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and set the rack in the middle of the
oven.
Make 20 incisions all over the pork with the point of a sharp knife
and insert the cloves of garlic. Season the meat with salt and
pepper to taste. Set the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and
sprinkle the top thickly with the 1/3 cup chopped cilantro stalks.
Put the broth, bay leaves and allspice in the roasting pan, and
cover the pan tightly with foil so that no steam will escape.
Cook the meat until it is very tender but not falling apart, so that
you can slice it easily - about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Set the meat
aside on a warm dish for about 15 minutes. Slice the meat, cover
with foil and keep warm in the oven.
Meanwhile, degrease the broth. Put the butter and 1 tablespoon
of the skimmed fat in a saucepan and heat. Add the onions and
1 tablespoon of the lime juice and fry gently until soft. Add the
remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice plus the skimmed pan
juices (be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan well for all the
scraps adhering to it), cover the pan and cook the sauce for
about 5 minutes. Add the mustard, orange juice and the 1/4 cup
chopped cilantro stalks. Cook, uncovered, for about 4 minutes
longer. Pour some of the sauce over the meat and pass the rest
in a separate dish.
Makes 5-6 servings.
B-man
