Summer Salad #2: Porky Pig

Why do we love eating decadent fatty meals disguised as salads? Because everyone everywhere loves to be deceived, lulled into thinking their meal was extra healthy. But guess what? This salad is actually healthy, despite the indulgent addition of slow-roasted pork...

FRISÉE - A lettuce that balances the fattiness with its bitter bite and texture. Remember, one small head delivers way more volume than you can imagine once you separate the leaves and tear them into manageable, bite-sized pieces. Tearing is absolutely necessary. Who wants a mouth full 4” spiky leaves, delicious as they may be?

PORK - We like to make this the day after serving Pork Butt in Milk with Cabbage Slaw for dinner. If you and your guests were not too piggy (pun intended) then you'll have plenty of leftovers. Simply reheat in a frying pan over low heat, or in the turned off oven after roasting the eggplant. The pig will crisp right up.

EGGPLANT - Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Thinly slice unpeeled eggplant. Lay slices on parchment paper. Lightly drizzle olive oil on slices, turn over and drip olive oil on top. There is really no wrong way to do this. After years of making these eggplant slices, we can say for certain that sometimes they turn crispy, sometimes softer, but every time delicious! Roast slices in a 425-degree oven for 15 minutes, turn over and roast another 5-10 minutes, until golden brown on both sides. Some parts will blacken but that is okay. There is a fine line, a few minutes, between a little black, and the burn taking over the slice.

The Academy Roast

Our secret weapon?  Sans question: Pork Butt in Milk.

When a dinner party (or just dinner) looms at the end of a long day of work or play, all that's needed is an inexpensive pork butt + salt, sugar, milk + 8 hours to set-it-and-forget-it.  What will emerge from your oven is a feat of invention and alchemy -- tender, flavorful meat with just a hint of the perfect crust -- even the Dean cannot explain.

There are a million and ten ways to serve this, but we like it as the main dish with a side of Cabbage Slaw (recipe below, straight out of the Academy Handbook) and Ice Cream Sundaes for dessert.

CABBAGE SLAW,

The Pork's Perfect Partner.

1/2 red cabbage, shredded

6 bunches scallions

1 large knob (2-3 tbsp.) of ginger, minced (in a mini food processor if you have one.)

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. light soy sauce

1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients and let macerate for up to 1 hour.  Make banh mi sandwiches the next day with leftover pork and cabbage; sprinkle with chopped jalapeño.

Thanks to the long line of Italian cooks and Marcella Hazan for passing on the magic of Pork Butt in Milk.  May it find itself in perpetual rotation on your dining table, to wide and illustrious acclaim, just as it does on ours, without fail.

(And P.S.  If you are in search of more tried-and-true Roasting Pan recipes, tips, and tricks, there are just a couple of tickets left for our class at the end of September...)