Sunday Supper - Braised Pork Ragu with Mashed Potatoes (Part I)

Here is another one that takes some time and patience, but is well worth it.

olive oil
1 boneless pork shoulder
salt and pepper for seasoning
2 cups chicken stock/broth (you can sub out for vegetable stock/broth if you would like)
1 red onion, diced
2 celery, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1 - 14oz diced tomatoes with green chili’s
1 - 14oz diced tomatoes
shredded parmesan for garnish (optional)
russet potatoes, cubed, and set in a pot of water for cooking.
unsalted butter
milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Drizzle large dutch oven with olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Season pork with salt and pepper. Fat side down; render fat off until you have a nice brown crust. Flip pork over and brown the other side. Add 1/2 cup stock/broth. Place in the oven with fat side up on pork, uncovered and cook for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes of cooking time, reduce oven to 350 degrees. Cover dutch oven and continue to cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour cooking time, add onions, celery, carrots, garlic, fennel, wine, the rest of the broth (1 1/2 cups of broth) and diced tomatoes with chili’s. Season with salt and pepper and stir ingredients. Cover and cook for 1 hour.

After 1 hour cooking time, remove dutch oven and start to break up pork while mixing juices together with the pork. Add the other can of diced tomatoes, cover and return to the oven and allow to finish cooking while you prepare the mashed potatoes.

While the pork is back in the oven, bring water and potatoes to a boil. Cook until fork tender. Drain, add desired amount of butter, milk and season with salt and pepper. Mash until you have the consistency you like.

Once potatoes are done remove pork from the oven. Give it one last good mix, breaking up any large pieces of pork.

Top mashed potatoes with pork ragu and garnish with shredded parmesan (optional). Serve and ENJOY!!!

Wine pairing......Pinot Noir of Cabernet Franc.