Pork Pot Roast with Apricots, Cardamom and Ginger

This Molly Stevens recipe was a big hit, a different flavor direction for our beloved pork. The recipe's 4-1/2 to 5 lb boneless pork shoulder roast (Boston butt) became a 4 lb bone-in roast at Wholefoods' take it or leave it butcher counter, but I kept the other proportions.

Brown the roast on all sides in 2 Tbl olive oil, for 15 to 20 min. total. Remove to plate and pour off all but 1 Tbl of fat, add 1 leek, 2 carrots and 1 medium onion, all coarsely chopped. Stir in 6 cardamom pods, shell removed and insides crushed, 1/2 tsp turmeric and 1/4 tsp cayenne, and cook for 5 min until vegetables start to soften. Add 1 Tbl shredded ginger, 2 cloves garlic peeled and "bruised," 3 strips of orange zest and bay leaf and cook for 2 more min. Pour in 2 Tbl cognac or apricot brandy (I used equal portions of cognac and apricot liqueur) to deglaze, about 1 min, then add 1/2 c white wine and boil 4 min. Pour in 2 c chicken stock (I used my homemade stock), bring to a boil and add 6 oz dried apricots and cook them for 2 min. Place roast back in pot (pour in juices from plate), cover with parchment paper hanging 1 in over the edge, place lid on top and pop into 325-degree oven for 2 hrs, checking and turning every 30 min. When done, remove roast and let it rest for 10 min. Degrease sauce and boil down if necessary. Slice pork and nap with sauce and apricots. Serve couscous on the side. We also followed Stevens' recommendation to accompany with an off-dry Riesling, with a Dr. Loosen Mosel wine filling the bill.

The pork was tender, moist and redolent of the flavor from the aromatics. The sauce turned a rich brown (from the apricots?) with a gentle interplay of sweet and savory. I dressed the lettuce salad with a blood orange-infused olive oil and a Pinot Grigio vinegar to round out the meal. A real keeper we'll duplicate some day for guests.