Adapted from a recipe by Peter Hoffman, from “Harvest to Heat: Cooking With America’s Best Chefs, Farmers and Artisans,” by Darryl Estrine and Kelly Kochendorfer. This is a soft, flavorful, luxurious roast that fills the house with a comforting aroma. Find fresh spices at Penzeys Spices (several area locations). Serves 6, with leftovers.
Ingredients
2 bay leaves
8 cardamom pods
2 star anise
2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
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
One fresh pork shoulder, 3 pounds, preferably with the skin on (call your butcher and order it ahead)
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 as well. Mix in the olive oil, pimenton, pepper, garlic, brown sugar and salt, mixing well to create a paste.
If the pork has the skin on, score the skin with a sharp knife at 1/2-inch intervals.
Rub the paste evenly on the meat. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and preferably overnight.
Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Scrape off the excess spice rub, then put the pork on a rack in a large roasting pan, skin side up, and roast for 30 minutes. Add a bit of water to the bottom of the pan to keep the pork from drying out, cover with foil, then turn the oven down to 300 degrees and continue to cook. Check after 3 hours; the pork should be fork- tender and very moist when done. If not, continue to cook until fork-tender.
If your pork has skin, slide the pan under the broiler for 3 to 5 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.
