Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [80]
3. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the basil, parsley, and Parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the Parmesan rind. Serve garnished with the crispy pancetta, with more cheese on the side and a loaf of warm crusty bread.
4 quarts, 6 to 8 servings
PORTUGUESE PORK AND CLAMS
This classic dish is a specialty of the Alentejo region in Portugal. Cork oaks are grown there, and in the late summer and fall local farmers allow their famous black pigs to gorge themselves on acorns that have fallen from the oaks, encouraging them to fatten up before the winter harvest. The meat from these special pigs is considered a delicacy because it is meltingly tender from the fat. The fatty pork is paired with briny clams and hot paprika, providing the perfect balance. Here in the United States, Berkshire pork is a wonderful substitute—it is available online and at local specialty butchers—but regular Boston butt works just fine! Note that the pork marinates overnight for exquisite flavor; then the next day it gets browned quickly and added to the slow cooker for stress-free cooking.
3 pounds boneless Boston butt pork roast, cut into 1-inch cubes
2½ teaspoons hot pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons salt
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2½ cups diced yellow onion
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 bay leaves
½ cup dry white wine
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
Three 14.5-ounce cans diced tomatoes, with juice
2 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed and purged (Spaghetti with Clams)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 loaf ciabatta bread, for serving
Good-quality extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1. Season the pork with the pimentón, black pepper, and cayenne. Transfer the pork to a 1-gallon resealable plastic food storage bag and refrigerate overnight.
2. Remove the pork from the refrigerator and allow the meat to come to room temperature for at least 1 hour.
3. Season the pork with the salt. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Place half of the pork in the pan and brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Once the pork has browned, add it to the crock of a 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining pork and olive oil.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomato paste to the pan, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, bay leaves, wine, and crushed red pepper and cook for 3 minutes, or until the wine has completely evaporated. Add the tomatoes, increase the heat to high, and bring the sauce to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, 10 to 12 minutes. Pour the hot tomato sauce over the pork, cover the slow cooker, set the temperature to high, and cook until the pork is very tender, about 5½ hours.
5. Once the pork is tender, add the clams, arranging them around the outer edges of the crock and tucking them into the tomato sauce. They will open more readily if they are submerged in the hot sauce. Add the thyme and oregano, replace the cover, and cook until all the clams have opened, about 30 minutes. Once all of the clams have opened, remove the bay leaves and add the parsley and stir. (Discard any clams that do not open.)
6. Serve the pork and clams with wedges of warm ciabatta bread, drizzled with a good-quality extra-virgin olive oil.
8 servings
SIMPLE CHOUCROUTE
We love making this simplified choucroute with at least two types of sausages—one smoked and one garlic or other fresh sausage—but feel free to use your favorite sausages here. A coarse-grain mustard and a loaf of crusty bread are all you need to elevate this to full meal status.
2 pounds jarred sauerkraut, drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces