Slow-Cooked Pork With Spanish Paprika And Sweet Spices

SLOW-COOKED PORK WITH

SPANISH PAPRIKA AND SWEET SPICES

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I found a recipe in House Beautiful for a pork roast which sounded delicious! I set out to obtain star anise. After exhausting every possible food store source and coming up empty handed, I googled "star anise". Much to my surprise the supply was first exhausted in 2009 used in the manufacturing of Tamiflu, the vaccine for Swine Flu. My reference book said the flavor is much like anise or fennel seed. I will just increase the amount of fennel seed called for in the recipe.

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Just a little FYI: Star anise grows in China on an evergreen and is harvested between the months of March thru May.

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Ingredients:

2 bay leaves

8 cardamom pods

2 star anise

2 teaspoons coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted

1 1/2 teaspoons ground fennel

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon pimenton

    (smoked Spanish paprika)

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

5 cloves garlic, minced into a paste

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1 fresh 3 pound pork shoulder,

preferably with the skin on

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Directions:

In a coffee grinder, process the bay leaves, cardamom, and star anise until finely ground (you may have to grind in batches) and place in a small bowl. Grind the coriander and cumin until finely ground and add to the bowl; add the ground fennel to the bowl of spices as well. Mix in the olive oil, pimenton, pepper, garlic, brown sugar, and salt, mixing well to create a paste.

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If the pork has a skin on, score the skin with a sharp knife in 1/2 inch intervals. Rub the paste evenly on the meat. Cover and let set in the refrigerator for at least four hours or overnight.

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Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Scrape off the extra spice rub, then put the pork on a rack in a large roasting pan, skin side up, and roast for 30 minutes. Cover the pan with foil, then turn the oven down to 300 degrees and cook for three hours. Add a bit of water in the bottom of the roasting pan, if there is no liquid, to keep the pork from drying out. Check after three hours; the pork should be fork tender and very moist when done. If not continue to cook until fork tender.

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If your pork has skin, slide the pan under the broiler for three to five minutes until the skin is crispy. If your pork doesn't have skin, remove it from the oven and allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing or pulling apart.