Apricot And Onion Braised Pork Shoulder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.In a dry frying pan toast the fennel seeds and coriander seeds. Lightly crush seeds with a mortar and pestle. Put the pork shoulder in a Dutch oven. Rub with in garlic, chile, saffron, honey and extra virgin olive oil. Marinate for 24 hrs in the refrigerator.
2. Remove the pork shoulder from the marinade. Reserve the marinade. Heat 3 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil in the Dutch oven. Season the pork shoulder generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat till golden on all sides and remove. Add in diced onions and quartered fennel. Cook for 3 to 4 min then add in the tomatoes, bay leaves, reserved marinade and the apricots. Cook for 5 min scraping the bottom of the pan. Add in the chicken stock and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil. Return the pork shoulder to the Dutch oven. Cover and braise in the oven for 11/2 hrs. Uncover and finish cooking for 1/2 an hour.
3. Remove pork shoulder from Dutch oven. Let rest 5 min then slice. Serve with puree of celery root. Finish the sauce with fresh herbs and ladle over meat.
4. Celery Root Puree:Pour cream into a heavy bottomed pot and reduce by half over medium-high heat.
5. In another pot, cover the celery root with water. Add in bay leaves and season. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook till celery root is fork tender. Remove bay leaves. In a food processor puree the celery root till just smooth. Add in the cream and season to taste.
6. Yield: 1 1/2 c.