RECIPE:Roast Pork Butt Sandwich

Cooking directions

1. Preheat the oven on 300°F. Cut the pork but into large pieces. This allows the seasonings to penetrate better and reduces cooking-time.

2. Toast the fennel and coriander seeds on a skillet over medium heat, swirling constantly, until the seeds start to pop. Ground them coarsely in a mortar or spice-grinder, then rub the spices evenly over the pork butts along with garlic, ginger, salt, black and white pepper inside a large and deep baking sheet.

3. Cover the baking sheet tightly with aluminum foil, then bake in the oven for about 2.5 hours. The pork should be very tender but not completely falling apart. You can prepare the pork up to 2 days ahead of time, keeping the pork in air-tight containers soaked in its own juice until needed.

Roast Pork Butt Sandwich…Cont’d

1. Remove all the ginger slices, discard and transfer the pork into another baking sheet. Then with two large forks, pull apart the pork into large 1 1/2" chunks.

2. Heat up a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add the pulled pork along with the cooked garlic plus 1/4 cup of the dripping-juice.

3. Cook, mashing the garlic and flipping once or twice, until all the liquid has evaporated and starts to caramelize/brown on the edges of the pork. Add the remaining dripping-juice and cook just until warmed through. Re-season with salt if needed.

4. Wash, drain, and cut the broccoli rabe in half lengthwise. Lightly coat them with extra virgin olive oil, set aside.

5. Heat a large skillet over high heat, then add the broccoli rob in a single layer. Cook until the first side is deeply caramelized and partially charred, then flip, and cook until the other side is caramelized as well.

6. The broccoli rabe should be slightly wilted but not too soft at this point. Transfer onto a large plate and repeat with the rest of the broccoli rob.

7. Now add all the caramelized broccoli rabe back into the skillet along with minced garlic, season with sea salt and black pepper, and toss just until fragrant. Turn off heat.

8. Cut off the tips of the Italian rolls, then slice into half lengthwise. Toast the cut-side lightly under the broiler, then smear with a layer of Dijon mustard on both sides.

9. Ladle the pork onto the roll, including enough juice to seep through the bread but not too much that it becomes soggy.

10. Place sliced provolone and pickled peppers (if using) and the broccoli rabe on top, then top it off.