Braised Pork in Red Wine and Red Peppers

Total time: 2 hours
  I use a medium-size roast, about 2 lbs and it cooked to the correct temperature in under 90 minutes.  As with most braises, longer cooking time is fine.  Half of the pork and half of the vegetables and sauce are for another meal.

 Ingredients:

• 1 pork loin roast,   app. 2lbs (1000gr)
• 1 large red pepper
• 3 medium leeks   about 2 cups, sliced
• 2 ribs celery
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 cups (15oz, 450gr) whole tomatoes
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 tbs paprika
• 1 tbs oregano
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) red wine
• 1 tbs cornstarch (maizena) dissolved in 2 tbs water

 Instructions:

• Clean and trim leeks, discarding the dark green tops. 
• Cut in half the long way and slice. 
• Cut pepper into thick strips. 
• Roughly chop celery. 
• Mince garlic.
• Roughly chop tomatoes, reserving all juices.
• Heat oil in heavy pot or Dutch oven.  Add leeks, peppers, celery, garlic, and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. 
• Remove to a plate and set aside. 
• Mix paprika, oregano and olive oil. Rub all over pork.
• Add pork to pot and brown on all sides. 
• Add 1/4 cup of red wine and stir up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. 
• Return vegetables to pot, arranging around pork. 
• Add tomatoes, red wine and bay leaves. 
•  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to a slow simmer and braise for 90 minutes.  Or longer....
• To finish: 
• Dissolve cornstarch in water. Remove pork to a platter. 
• With a slotted spoon, remove the larger vegetables and arrange around pork.
• Tent loosely with foil and let rest.  
• Increase heat under remaining sauce. Add cornstarch, stirring until thick and clear - you may not need it all to get a thickened sauce. 
• Slice some of the pork, spoon some of the sauce on the vegetables and pork and serve. 

Save leftover pork, vegetables and sauce.....

and for the leftovers....

Pasta with Pork, Red Peppers and Cannellini 

Time:   25 minutes
     From the leftovers of Braised Pork in Red Wine with Red Peppers 

 Ingredients:

• 2 cups leftover pork
• leftover sauce and vegetables
• 3/4 - 1 1/2 cups white beans
• red wine or chicken stock if needed to expand sauce
• 1 1/4 cup pasta - penne, rigatoni, rotelle

 Instructions:

• Cook pasta according to package directions, drain.
• Cut the pork into bit-size pieces.
• Gently reheat sauce with vegetables. 
• Add pork and beans.
• When pasta is done, combine with pork and sauce. Serve.