Braised Pork with White Beans and Spiced Pears

RH Staff

Yield: 6 servings.

3 cups white beans
24 garlic cloves
1 bundle sage
5 lbs. pork leg, boneless
1 cup vegetable oil
8 onions, diced
4 tomatoes, peeled, chopped
2 cups white wine
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup basil, chopped
1 gallon pork stock to taste, kosher
salt to taste, black pepper

SPICED PEARS:
4 Red Seckel or Bosc pears
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. jalapeÒo pepper, diced
1 Tbsp. Tabasco® brand Pepper

Sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup onion, sliced
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 cup dry sherry to taste, kosher salt

Soak beans overnight in water. Rinse and set aside. Mince 1/2 of garlic and 1/2 of sage and mix the two together with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper.

Open pork leg and trim any sinew or unwanted fat from interior. Flip pork leg over, trimming fat to approximately 1/4" all the way around.

Rub cavity with sage mixture and butcher-tie the meat.

In a large sautè pan or roasting pan, heat oil. Season outside of meat with salt and pepper. Sear meat in pan on all sides. Add onions, remaining garlic and chopped tomatoes and sautè them alongside pork. Add white wine, stock and beans. The liquid should cover about 1/3 of the pork. Lay remaining sage over and around the pork; cover pan with foil. Place pork in oven at 250°F and cook for 4 to 5 hours until meat is fork tender. Remove pork and set aside. Place stock in saucepan with vinegar and simmer slowly. Check to see that beans are done, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Strain and de-fat; set aside.

Add basil and peeled, chopped tomatoes to beans.

For Spiced Pear Roast: Quarter and core pears. Heat olive oil in a pan slowly and add garlic and onions. Add jalapeÒo pepper and Tabasco® brand Pepper Sauce. Cook for 2 minutes; add pears. Season lightly with salt and pepper, deglaze with sherry. As sherry cooks off, add butter. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Photo: MCILHENNY COMPANY TABASCO® BRAND PEPPER SAUCE