pork and beans....

[mike_c]

Made this for dinner last night.

3 strips bacon, chopped
1 pork sirloin roast, cut into smallish bitesize pieces (I'm guessing this was about 2 lbs)
3 shallots, chopped
2-3 leeks, washed and sliced (about 2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
5 sticks celery, sliced
1-2 cups crimini mushroom caps, quartered
1 lb frozen black-eyed peas
2 15 oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 qt chicken stock
1 cup red wine
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
bouquet garni of rosemary and sage
lots of freshly ground black pepper
some salt

Brown the bacon pieces over low heat in a large heavy pot to render their fat. When crisp, add the pork pieces and brown over high heat-- boil off any liquid that comes out of the meat so that it actually browns and develops crispy spots and plenty of nice brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the shallots toward the end and brown them, too. Add the mushrooms and garlic at the very end and continue browning for a few minutes more, but do not burn the garlic. Add the chicken stock, wine, vinegar, bouquet garni, lots of freshly ground black pepper, and some salt; bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits up from the bottom of the pot. Add the celery and frozen black-eyed peas. Cover and simmer over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325 F. Stir the rinsed white beans into the simmering pot, then bake in the oven for 1 hour. Check the liquid level occasionally-- you want a creamy texture, not soup, but not dry-- and add water if necessary while baking.

Serve with hot cornbread, and a sprinkle of Tabasco sauce.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. OK I am bookmarking this

nice winter meal!