Mark Bittman's Quick and Easy Recipes From the New York Times - Mark Bittman [89]
1 tablespoon neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn
1 tablespoon butter (or more oil)
1½ pounds boneless pork shoulder or loin, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1- to 1½-inch chunks
1½ pounds purple-topped turnips or rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
¾ cup white wine, chicken stock, or water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons minced fresh lovage, celery leaves, or parsley (optional)
1. Put a 12-inch skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat and let sit for at least a minute. Add the oil and butter. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, add the pork, a few chunks at a time. When it is all in the skillet, turn the heat to high. Cook for about 5 minutes, undisturbed, until the pork is nicely browned on one side. Turn each piece, return the heat to medium-high, and cook for about 3 minutes more.
2. Add the turnip chunks and shake the skillet so that the pork and turnips are all sitting in one layer or nearly so. Cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, or until the turnips begin to brown. Add the liquid and stir once or twice. Add salt and pepper to taste and half the lovage if you’re using it, turn the heat to medium-low, and cover the skillet.
3. Cook, stirring every 10 minutes, until both pork and turnips are quite tender, about 30 minutes. Remove the cover and raise the heat to medium-high; boil the liquid until it is reduced to a syrupy glaze. Taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary, then garnish with the remaining herb if you like and serve.
VARIATIONS
Creamy Pork with Turnips
In the final step, transfer the pork and turnips to a warm platter. Do not quite reduce the liquid to a glaze; when there is about ½ cup left, reduce the heat to low, stir in 1 cup sour or sweet cream, and slowly bring back to a boil over medium heat. Stir the pork and turnips back into the sauce, garnish, and serve, preferably over rice.
Pork and Turnips with Mustard
You can do this in combination with the preceding variation if you like. Stir 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, or more to taste, into the finished sauce. Heat through and serve.
ROAST PORK WITH APPLESAUCE
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
TIME: 1 HOUR
SPREADING A ROAST with a sweet coating—apricot jam comes to mind—adds an interesting contrast of flavor, and the sugar encourages browning. But the results are often too sweet. So I decided to experiment with alternative coatings for a small roast of pork—one that would cook quickly enough to be considered for weeknight dinners—and settled on applesauce, which has a not-too-obvious benefit. Because applesauce doesn’t contain nearly the same percentage of sugar as jam, more of it can be used without overwhelming the meat with sweetness, and the thicker coating protects the meat and keeps it moist. This is important, because the superlean pork sold in supermarkets almost inexorably dries out as it cooks.
2 cups applesauce, preferably unsweetened
One 1½- to 2-pound boneless pork loin
Oil for the pan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat the oven to 500°F; set the oven rack as close to the top of the oven as is practical (take the thickness of the roast into account). Meanwhile, put the applesauce in a fine strainer over a bowl or in the sink to allow excess liquid to drain. Line a roasting pan with a double thickness of aluminum foil (to avoid tough cleanup) and brush the foil with a little oil.
2. When the oven is hot, sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper, then spread an even layer of the applesauce all over it, using up all the applesauce. Sprinkle with a little more salt and pepper and roast, checking every 15 minutes or so to make sure the applesauce doesn’t burn. It’s fine if it darkens and browns, or even turns dark brown, as long as the top doesn’t blacken.
3. Begin checking the pork with an instant-read thermometer after 45 minutes. When the internal temperature reaches 155°F, remove the meat