2000s Recipes + Menus
Maiale al Latte
Pork Roast Braised with Milk and Fresh Herbs
Serves6
- Active time:25 min
- Start to finish:3 1/4 hr
April 2008
Simmering a pork roast with milk and a generous handful of herbs results in very tender meat with rich, silky juices. Many Italians will leave the milk curds that form alongside the meat where they are, but Ferrigno strains them out for a more refined sauce.
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 (4 1/2- to 5-lb) boneless pork shoulder roast (without skin), tied
- 3 juniper berries (see cooks’ note, below), crushed
- 2 large rosemary sprigs
- 2 large sage sprigs
- 1 sprig fresh or 4 dried California bay leaves
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3 cups whole milk
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Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
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Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over medium heat until it shimmers, then lightly brown roast on all sides with juniper berries and herbs, 8 to 10 minutes total. Add garlic and sprinkle roast with sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then cook until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Pour wine over roast and briskly simmer until reduced by half. Pour milk over roast and bring to a bare simmer.
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Cover pot and braise in oven, turning roast occasionally, until tender (milk will form curds), 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
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Transfer roast to a carving board and loosely cover. Strain juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl (discard solids), reserving pot, and skim off fat. Return juices to pot and boil until flavorful and reduced to about 2 cups. Season with sea salt and pepper. Slice roast and serve moistened with juices.
Cooks’ notes:
- Juniper berries can be found in the spice aisle at supermarkets.
- Pork can be braised 1 day ahead and chilled in liquid, uncovered, until cool, then covered. Bring to room temperature, then reheat and proceed with recipe.
- Keywords
- italian,
- ursula ferrigno,
- pork,
- herbs,
- bay leaf
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