Recipes–Stewed Chinese Pork With Star Anise

This is a simple and delicious recipe and requires only one ingredient which you might not have in your kitchen – star anise, a spice often used in Chinese cooking, but available at Whole Foods.  The dish is easy to prepare but takes a few hours to simmer.   It is worth it.

Stewed Chinese Pork with Star Anise

* 2 lg. thick bone-in pork chops or four thin chops. Pork shoulder is a much more tender cut of meat than chops, but it is a lot fattier as well.  Either one works fine.  I wrote the recipe for pork chops because I usually have them in the freezer.

* 3 Tbsp. olive oil

* 4-5 lg. garlic cloves, chopped

* 1 very lg. handful fresh basil leaves, chopped

* 2 star anise

* 10 whole peppercorns

* 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds

* 1 small piece stick cinnamon

* 5 cloves

* 1 cup white wine

* 2/3 cup Amontillado sherry

* 3 Tbsp. soy sauce

* 2 Tbsp. Balsamic vinegar

* 1 cup water

* 1 Tbsp. honey

- Sautee the garlic in the olive oil for about 5 minutes

- Add the pork chops and all the other spices and ingredients; and stir well

- Simmer over med-low heat for about three hours, stirring occasionally.  The dish is done when the pork comes easily off the bone and is soft; and when the sauce in the bottom of the pan is about 1/2 cup

- Let the sauce cool, then with your fingers take the meat off the bones, being sure that there are no shards left in the pot (You can also serve as is and let each diner deal with the bones)