Forever Roasted Pork Dreams

I have a friend/naybo (our slang for neighbor) who is an excellent cook. She invited us over for a dinner party and served this Forever Roasted Pork by Michael Chiarello that was recently featured in the new Savor Magazine. It was amazing and I couldn't stop thinking about it. When my father-in-law came up for a recent visit, I knew I had a reason to try it out.

There is a Fennel Spice Rub that needs to be prepared ahead of time and really is the crux of the recipe. I went to the store, bought all the spices, borrowed a spare coffee grinder that my excellent cook/neighbor uses for spices (that is the sign of a really good cook, eh?) and went to town preparing the rub and all crucial parts of the recipe.

I woke up early and got down to business, as I had to work that day. The sauteing of the onions took longer than expected and I had no fat on the pork to lift and insert the onions into, so I cut down the center and stuffed the onion mixture in there and tied it all up neat and pretty. As I was finishing putting the rub all over the pork - I dropped the glass jar and had it crash into a million tiny pieces at my feet. Ever have one of these mornings?

In the end, the meal was a huge success and my father-in-law loved it. Slow-roasted pork with a generous side of sliced heirloom tomatoes with corn salsa poured over it and finished with olive oil, salt & pepper. What a nice combination. Oh, and pork shoulder is so reasonable - like $12 for four pounds. Here are the recipes, if you're so inclined.

Serves 6

Forever Roasted Pork adapted from napastyle.com

2 medium onions, peeled

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Gray salt and freshly ground pepper

1½ teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage

½ cup water

4 pounds pork leg or shoulder, at room temperature (the butcher also called this pork butt?)

About ¼ cup Fennel Spice Rub (*see below)

Thinly slice the onions. Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot.

Add the onions and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 1 minute. Add the sage and cook until the onions cease throwing off water, about 3 minutes.

Add the water, cover and cook until the onions are very tender, about 10 minutes. Uncover and sauté until the onions are very soft and the pan is dry again, about 2 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Peel back the pork skin and spread the onions directly on the fat layer. Fold the skin back over the onions and tie closed with kitchen string. Season well all over with the fennel spice.

Arrange the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and cook until the meat is very tender, 6 to 8 hours. It is ready when it pulls away easily if picked at with a pair of tongs. It is often easiest to cook the meat overnight, or put it in the oven in the morning and let it cook all day. It does not need to be attended.

Fennel Spice Rub

adapted from Jill Davidson

• 1 cup fennel seeds
• 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons white peppercorns
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt

Put the fennel seeds, coriander seeds, and peppercorns in a heavy pan over medium heat. Watch carefully, tossing frequently so the seeds toast evenly. When light brown and fragrant, pour the seeds onto a plate to cool. They must be cool before grinding, or they will gum up the blades.

Pour the seeds into a blender (I used the handy-dandy coffee grinder) and add the salt. Blend to a fine powder, shaking the blender occasionally to redistribute the seeds. Store in a tightly sealed glass jar in a cool, dry place, or freeze.