Recipe: Frederic Anton's Four-Hour Roast Pork (Le Roti de Porc de Quatre Heures de Frederic Anton)

FREDERIC ANTON'S FOUR-HOUR ROAST PORK (LE ROTI DE PORC DE QUATRE HEURES DE FREDERIC ANTON)

"Over the past several years, braised meats have become increasingly popular among Parisian chefs: Rare lamb, rosy pork, duck with a touch of pink all have their place, but the homey, wholesome flavors of meat and poultry cooked until meltingly tender and falling off the bone are once again in vogue. Here Frederic Anton, chef at the romantic restaurant Pre Catelan in the Bois de Boulogne, offers universally appealing roasted pork loin, flavored simply with thyme. This is delicious accompanied by sauteed mushrooms or a potato gratin."

1 (4 pound) pork loin roast, bone in (do not trim off fat)
Sea salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh or dried thyme leaves
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
6 plump, fresh cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
2 cups homemade chicken stock
2 large bunches of fresh thyme sprigs
Equipment: A large heavy casserole with a lid or Dutch oven.

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Season the pork all over with sea salt, white pepper, and the 2 teaspoons thyme. In a large heavy-duty casserole that will hold the pork snugly, heat the oil over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add the pork and sear well on all sides, about 10 minutes total. Transfer the pork to a platter and discard the fat in the casserole. Wipe the casserole clean with paper towels. Return the pork to the casserole, bone side down. Set it aside.

In a large, heavy skillet, combine the butter, carrots, onions, garlic, celery, and sea salt to taste. Sweat-cook, covered, over low heat without coloring -- until the vegetables are soft and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Spoon the vegetables around and on top of the pork. Add the chicken stock to the casserole. Add the bunches of thyme, and cover.

Place the casserole in the center of the 275 degree F oven and braise, basting every 30 minutes, for about 4 hours, or until the pork is just about falling off the bone. Remove the casserole from the oven. Carefully transfer the meat to a carving board and season it generously with sea salt and white pepper. Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest for about 15 minutes.

While the pork is resting, strain the cooking juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat, pouring off the fat that rises to the top. Discard the vegetables and herbs.

The pork will be very soft and falling off the bone, so you may not actually be able to slice it. Rather, use a fork and spoon to tear the meat into serving pieces, and place them on warmed dinner plates or a warmed platter. Spoon the juices over the meat, and serve. Transfer any remaining juices to a gravy boat and pass at the table.

Good wines with this pork include a fairly light red or a rich white: Try a good Beaujolais or a good selection from the Medoc, or a white Roussanne -- Marsanne blend from the Coteaux du Languedoc Faug res house of Domaine Alquier.

Makes 8 to 10 servings
Source: The Paris Cookbook by Patricia Wells