Caramel Braised Pork w/ Pineapple and Black Pepper from P*ong (NY)

Caramel Braised Pork w/ Pineapple and Black Pepper from P*ong (NY)

Chef Ong has appeared on Iron Chef America, Roker on the Road,
Martha! and CBS News. His imaginative combinations and tantalizing
presentations have won him widespread critical acclaim. This dish
is representative of his style, as it combines savory (pork) with
sweet (caramel and pineapple).

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless pork loin
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/2 cup pineapple, cut into 1/4-inch cubes, with juice
1/4 cup sake or white wine
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 scallions, white part only, with roots
1 scallion, sliced and cut in julienne strips, for garnish
2 one-inch pieces ginger
1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
Salt to taste

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut pork into 1/2-inch thick slices.
In an ovenproof pot, mix together sugar, lemon juice, and 2
tablespoons water. Clean sides of the pot to remove residual sugar
with a brush dipped in water.

Cook mixture over high heat until it darkens. Meanwhile, combine
soy sauce, fish sauce, pineapple juice, sake, pepper, white part of
scallion and ginger. Add soy sauce mixture to sugar mixture.

Return sauce to the boil. Taste and add more sugar and salt if
necessary as pineapple is sometimes not as sweet as it should be.
Bring mixture to a boil, turn off heat and place pieces of pork in
the caramel. The caramel should come up at least two thirds of the
way up the pork pieces. If not, change to a smaller pot. Fold the
mixture so that the pineapple is on top of the pork.

Cook for 15 minutes or until pork is tender. Remove pork pieces and
transfer to a plate. Bring the remaining mixture to a boil and
again and cook until thickened. Spoon the sauce with pineapple
chunks on top of the pork and garnish with julienned scallions.

Add black pepper to taste, and serve immediately.

Serves 4
Source - NY Daily News