Braised Path Valley Farms Shoat

Eric Ziebold, executive chef at CityZen in Washington, D.C.’s Mandarin Oriental hotel, shares his recipe for braised shoat with cardoon gratin and roasted pork jus.

Serves: 8

For the Braises Shoat:

2 pork legs approx. 4 ½ pounds each
2 ¼ cups white wine
2 large carrots
1 large onion
2 leeks, green tops removed
Chicken stock

For the Pork Jus:
2 ¼ pounds pork bones
4 ¼ cups pork braising liquid
12 ½ cups veal stock
1 carrot (cut in 1 inch pieces)
1 onion (cut in 1 inch pieces)
1 leek (cut in 1 inch pieces)
2 cloves garlic

For the Cardoon Braise:
24 stalks cardoons (a relative of artichokes grown for its stem)
4 cloves garlic, sliced
½ onion, minced
10 black peppercorns
10 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs parsley
8 ½ cups water
½ cup champagne vinegar
½ cup lemon juice
3 ½ ounces salt
1 cup olive oil

For the Cardoon Gratin:
3 large Yukon gold potatoes
2 cloves garlic
6 sprigs thyme
½ cup heavy cream
Chopped parsley
Salt

To Plate:
Sel gris
Chopped chives

1. To braise the pork, begin by cutting carrots, onions and leeks into 2-inch pieces and cover the bottom of a pot. Put pork legs on the vegetables and then add wine and enough chicken stock to cover by 4 inches. Bring the pot to a simmer, cover, and put in a 350 degree F. oven for approx. 4 ½ hours. Remove pot from the oven, and allow to cool on the counter for 2 hours. Carefully remove pork from the pot and place onto a cutting board. Gently remove all of the bones, and gelatinous material from the pork leg. Place pork legs onto a sheet pan, cover with another pan, and allow to cool while pressing.

2. To prepare the Cardoon Braise, in a large pot combine water, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and oil. Cut the cardoon stalks to the point where they’re not hollow and then peel them. Once peeled, slice the cardoons into ¼-inch slices and put into the pot of water. Wrap onions, garlic, herbs and spices in cheesecloth and add to the pot. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until cardoons are tender (about 30-40 min.). 

3. To prepare the sauce, brown pork bones in hot oil in a shallow pot. Once they’re browned evenly remove them, drain fat off, and add vegetables and brown them lightly. Add bones back to the pot and then add the liquid that the pork was braised in, and the veal stock. Bring to a simmer and place in a 375 degree F. oven for 45 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and strain out the bones and vegetables. Continue to reduce to a light consistency.

4. To prepare the gratin, finely mince the potato. Bring cream, thyme and garlic to a simmer in a shallow pot. Season well and add the potatoes. Simmer gently until potatoes are fully cooked and the mixture is quite thick. Add drained cardoons, chopped parsley and spoon into the bottom of a large shallow bowl. Place the bowl under a broiler or salamander and allow to gratinée slowly (about 1 minute).

5. To finish the pork, let it cool completely. Should be very firm. Lightly score the skin with a paring knife and then cut the legs into 4 pieces each. Place the pork into a sauté pan with ¾ of the pork sauce. Bring to a simmer then put into a 350 degree F. oven and baste every 5-8 minutes until a nice glaze has developed (about 25 minutes). Sprinkle a little sel gris and chopped chives over the top of the pork and then place in the center of the cardoon gratin. Pour a little of the pork sauce around the outside of the gratin.

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