Home cooking from Normandy. One of the best things I've made lately. Really delicious! Its sort of a marriage of Adobo and Stroganoff but with a sweet and sour thing. And it's French! Just make it!
I adapted this from a bunch of different recipes I found online. The mushrooms are not traditional but I would not leave them out. Some recipes also included sliced apples. Worth a try but I used a fairly sweet cider (Strongbow) so I didn't use any apples.
Porc au Cidre (Pork with Cider)
2 TB light olive oil
2 lbs. Pork Shoulder or Sirloin, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
Salt and pepper
1 medium onion cut into slivers
1 package button mushrooms, washed and sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TB flour
2 12-ounce cans or bottles hard apple cider. Drier preferred
1 ounce apple cider vinegar
1 small bundle of fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped fresh sage
2 Bay leaves
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 325F
Season pork liberally with salt and pepper
Heat oil in an oven-safe heavy-bottomed 12" skillet. (Enameled cast-iron is ideal)
Brown pork over medium-high heat until well-colored on at least two sides. Take care nor to burn the fond forming on the bottom of the pan.
Turn heat down to medium before removing the pork to a plate and adding the onions and mushrooms to the pan, with a big pinch of salt.
Cook the onions and mushrooms until the mushrooms release their water and then dry back up and brown some. You want some color on the onions as well. Keep an eye on the fond on the bottom of the pan. If it seems like it is getting too dark, add a little water so it doesnt burn.
Add the garlic and saute until fragrant.
Add flour and stir around to combine with oil. Cook for 60 seconds or so.
Add cider, vinegar and bring to a simmer, scraping all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add back the pork and any accumulated juices.
Add the thyme, bay leaves and sage
Place in 325F oven and cook, uncovered, for 90 minutes. Check a couple times to make sure its not getting too dry. Add some water if necessary to keep the pork mostly covered. Pork should be fork tender, but not falling apart.
Using a slotted spoon, remove pork and as many of the mushrooms as you can to a plate or bowl. remove thyme, bay leaves and discard.
Place skillet with liquid back on stove over medium heat and reduce by approximately half.
Stir in cream and sour cream.
Return pork and mushrooms and simmer for a few minutes to heat through.
Taste sauce and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed.
Serve with mashed potatoes.
Profit!
