Pork Ragù with Creamy Polenta
 
 
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Pork ragù:
  • 1½ pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 2" pieces
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ medium onion, diced
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1 14.5 oz. can fire roasted crushed tomatoes
  • ½ cup vegetable broth
  • 1½ teaspoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 sprig fresh rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • 6 cups packed torn lacinato kale leaves
  • ⅓ cup dried currants (see notes)
Creamy polenta:
  • 1½ cups polenta
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ cup grated Asiago cheese with rosemary and olive oil
  • sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Make the pork ragù:
  1. Season pork with salt and pepper and toss to coat.
  2. Warm olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, arrange pork in the pot in a single layer and cook, turning occasionally, until browned all over. Remove from pot and set aside.
  3. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from pot. Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8 minutes.
  4. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pot. Add next nine ingredients (tomatoes through cloves) and fill pot with just enough water to cover the pork. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium. Cover and simmer until meat is fork tender, about 1½ hours.
  5. Remove from heat, discard bay leaf and shred pork with two forks. Cook, uncovered, over medium heat until ragù has thickened, about 10 minutes.
  6. Add kale and currants and simmer until kale wilts, about 1 minute. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Make the creamy polenta:
  1. In a large pot, bring 6 cups salted water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until thickened, 20-25 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat, add butter and Asiago cheese and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pork ragù.
Notes
Put the currants in a small bowl and cover them with hot water; let them plump for at least 10 minutes. Drain.
Recipe by Two of a Kind at http://www.twoofakindcooks.com/pork-ragu-creamy-polenta-merlot/