Portland Dinner: Pork Shoulder Braised in Sidra with Apples and Chantrelles

This post comes courtesy of Holly.

The leaves are starting to fall, and change their colors here in Portland, Oregon, reminding me that Fall is indeed among us. Apples are falling from our tree, and it's time to start cooking and baking with them. One of my fondest memories from last year's trip to Spain was visiting Trabanco, in the coastal region nestled between Galicia and the Basque Country. In this cool region called Austurias, Sidra is made in the natural, traditional method, using nothing but fresh heirloom apples and the native yeast from the apple orchards. No sugar, or CO₂ is allowed. The result are unique products that speak of the apple orchards grown on the Atlantic coast.

Sidra paired with salty, fatty meat's is a deeply rooted pairing that goes back since the 18th century. So I decided to braise a pork shoulder with the Trabanco Cosecha Propia, along with apples from our tree, and some recently foraged Chanterelle mushrooms. The result was a deeply flavored pork and apple dish that paired nicely with both the Trabanco Cosecha Propia Sidra, and the Trabanco Poma Aurea.

2007 Trabanco Poma Aurea Sparkling D.O.P Sidra
The fine bubbles cut through the fatty, salty pork, leaving a clean apple finish on the palate. The acidic sauce pair's nicely with the bubbles in the Poma. Overall the Poma is a more harmonious pairing with this dish, leaving your palate thirsting for more sparkling Sidra.

2009 Trabanco Cosecha Propia D.O.P. Sidra
The Cosecha Propia Sidra stands up to the richness of this dish. The yeasty apple flavors of this Sidra balances out with the natural fatty qualities of the pork. The earthy chanterelle mushrooms bring out the strong mineral notes of this D.O.P. Sidra. The underling saline quality in this Sidra is a perfect match for the salty notes of this dish.

Pork Shoulder Brasied in Sidra with Apples and Chantrelles
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon of Butter
2 pound boneless, pork shoulder
3 cloves of garlic
1 white onion
2 cup's Sidra (Trabanco or Isastegi)
1 cup of pork stock, or water
4 medium sized apples (peeled and sliced)
1 pound of chanterelle mushrooms
hand ful of fresh herbs (thyme and sage)
Sea salt and Pepper

Generously season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper. Sear it on a medium heat in a large pot (we used our dutch oven), until the pork is slightly brown. Take the pork out and place it on a plate. Add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil to the pot, then add your sliced onions, chopped garlic and mixture of herbs. Saute them for 4 minutes, and then deglaze your pot with one cup of Sidra. Simmer for 2 minutes, and then add your sliced apples with 1 more cup of Sidra, and 1 cup of pork stock, or water. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let the pork cook slowly, uncovered for 45 minutes. Meanwhile while your pork is cooking. Clean and chop your chanterelles. In a pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter over a medium heat, add your chanterelles and sauté. The mushrooms will release their water and make a bit of a sauce. Saute for 6 minutes, or until they are tender, season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the mushroom's aside. After the 45 minutes has passed, take out the pork shoulder from the pot. Strain you sauce. Turn up the heat and reduce your sauce to your desired consistency. Add your cooked chanterelles to the pot. If the pork shoulder is tender, break it up into several pieces, and add them back to the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. We served our's over slow cooked polenta (Alice Water's "The art of simple cooking"). Drink with Trabanco Cosecha Propia Sidra, Poma Aurea, or Isastegi Sidra.