Ode to the Mock Porchetta

Last night I prepared Zuni Cafe's mock porchetta, a dish I highly recommend you try. The mock porchetta is a pork shoulder that is inundated with a lustful mixture of rosemary, sage, fennel, capers, lemon peel, garlic, and black pepper. It is slowly roasted for hours until the surface is carmelized and succulent. Russian banana fingerling potatoes and Vidalia onions were roasted in the pan drippings. The drippings were later enriched with a touch of chicken stock and a whisper of vermouth. The porchetta was sliced and served on fresh baked buns slathered with pan drippings and topped with the roasted Vidalia onions. To accompany this Tuscan inspired meal, I served a Cusumano Nero D'Avola from Sicily and a healthy dose of jazz. Click here to listen.

1. Jeg Gik Mig Ud En Sommerdag - Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen
2. In Her Honor - Sean Jones
3. Your Warm Embrace - Ron Blake
4. Berda's Bounce - Terell Stafford
5. H And T Blues - Thad Jones/Pepper Adams
6. Six Steps - Jimmy Heath & Brass
7. Lazy Afternoon - Grant Green
8. Major's Minor - Stanley Turrentine
9. A Night In Barcelona - Bobby Hutcherson
10. Wildflower - Herbie Nichols
11. Autumn Leaves - Gene Ammons/Sonny Stitt