“All of Edna Lewis’s recipes sound good, and I’ve never made one that didn’t taste better than it sounded,” Valerie Erwin
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and tied
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon crumbled dried sage leaves
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 unpeeled garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Preparation
- Cover the meat with a mixture of salt, freshly ground pepper, ginger and sage leaves. Heat a 2-quart oval pot over high heat, and then melt the butter in the pot until it foams. Add the pork roast and cook it, turning constantly so that the meat is well browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes
- Lift up the meat and place the garlic cloves on the bottom of the pot. Put the meat back on top, and lower the heat so that the pork will cook without burning. Partially cover the pot so steam can escape and the meat will not stew. Adjust the heat as necessary, and add a few tablespoons of water if the pot becomes dry. Cook the pork for 1½ to 2 hours, until the meat is tender when pierced.
- Remove the meat from the pot, and set it aside in a warm place. Skim the fat from the pot; remove and discard the garlic. Add the water to the pot, and stir to dislodge the residues that developed during cooking. Cook over low heat, adding more water if the pot becomes dry. Stir in the peanut butter to thicken the sauce and add flavor. Season with more salt and pepper, if necessary. Strain the sauce, add the parsley, and serve with the pork.
Serves 5.
About this recipe
Adapted from Edna Lewis’s In Pursuit of Flavor (Knopf, 1988)
