Roasted Spice-Rubbed Pork with Greens, Rice, Black Beans and Lime
Spice rub:
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons fennel seeds
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- One 2½-pound pork butt (Boston butt) roast
- Kosher salt
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 lime, scrubbed and cut into quarters
- ½ cup Chicken Stock, or high-quality, low sodium canned broth, as needed
- 1 cup dried black beans, picked over for stones and broken beans and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 medium white onion, chopped into ¼-inch dice
- 6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes, canned or fresh
- 3 jalapeño peppers, stemmed, seeded, and minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup dark rum
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 pounds mustard greens or broccoli rabe, washed and trimmed of tough stems
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- 1 cup Fresh Tomato Salsa
- 1 lime, cut into quarters
- 4 sprigs cilantro
Instructions:
The most challenging aspect of the recipe is simply remembering you’ve got to get started on this dish a day or two before serving it.
- Toast the coriander, cumin, fennel, and mustard seeds in a dry pan over low heat until they start to pop and are aromatic. Remove from the heat. When they are cool, grind them in a spice mill or with a mortar and pestle.
- Combine the ground toasted spices with the remaining spice rub ingredients. Rub the spice mixture over the entire pork butt. You will have a good deal of leftover spice rub; set it aside until needed. Cover the pork and allow to marinate for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- Sprinkle the pork all over with salt and rub with the lime juice. Place the butt in a small baking pan (about 9 × 9 inches). There should only be 1 to 2 inches of space between the pork and the sides of the pan. (A small pan will help prevent the water and accumulated pork juices from simply boiling away. You want the pork to braise, not dry-roast.) Add ⅛ inch of water and the quartered lime to the pan. Cover with foil, crimping the edges over the sides of the pan to form a tight seal. Cook for 2 hours.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Carefully peel back the foil and flip the pork. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the extra spice rub, and sprinkle the remainder over the pork. Sprinkle with salt. Replace the foil, return the pork to the oven, and braise for 2 more hours, or until the meat is very tender and falls apart when prodded with a fork. Remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
- Remove the pork from the pan. Discard the limes. Pour the braising juices into a nonreactive container and skim off the fat. You should have about 1 cup braising juices; if you have less, make up the difference with chicken stock. Refrigerate the juices until needed.
- Return the pork to the pan and roast, uncovered, until the exterior is a crispy brown, another 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool, then cut into 1-inch slices.
- Put the beans in a large pot, cover with cold water by 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover, and allow to sit for 1 hour. Drain.
- While the beans are soaking, toast the cumin and coriander seeds in a dry pan over low heat until they start to pop and are aromatic. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, jalapeños, cumin and coriander seeds, and oregano. Add enough water to cover the beans by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the beans are tender, about 1½ hours. Make sure the water level stays ½ inch above the beans until the end of the cooking time nears. Stir regularly.
- By the time the beans have finished cooking, the water should be almost all absorbed. Add the rum and cook for 10 minutes. Season with salt and allow the beans to cool in their cooking liquid. When cool, drain (there won’t be much liquid), taste, and add more salt if necessary. Season with black pepper, then add the lime juice and cilantro.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water. Drop the greens into the boiling water. If using mustard greens, cook for 3 minutes; if using broccoli rabe, cook for 4 minutes. Drain, plunge the greens into the ice water to stop the cooking, and drain again.
- Combine the oil and garlic in a small sauté pan over medium heat and cook until the garlic becomes aromatic, about a minute. Add the greens and toss to coat with the garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Spread the rice in the bottom of a 3-quart clay pot or casserole. Spoon the beans over the rice, then top with the greens. Make a final layer of the sliced pork. Pour ½ to 1 cup of the reserved braising juices over everything.
- The object is to use enough liquid to moisten everything and provide a firmer-than-soupy consistency without everything literally swimming in braising juices. Sprinkle the pork with salt and the reserved tablespoon of spice rub.
- Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes, then uncover and continue baking until heated through and bubbling, another 20 to 30 minutes.
- To serve, top with the salsa, lime wedges, and cilantro sprigs.