Pork starts post-holiday slowdown

After the fuss of big holiday meals, it’s time to slow things down in the kitchen.

Fill the house with sublime smells with a nearly effortless slow-cooker recipe from the January/February edition of Cooking Light magazine. Start by browning boneless pork shoulder on the stove, then nestle it in the crock with a mess of sautéed onion, garlic and peppers. Top with diced tomatoes, rosemary and thyme before heading out to work or play.

After seven hours in the slow cooker, all that’s left to do is shred the meat, put the finishing touches on the sauce and whip together a batch of polenta.

This dish filled the house with a delicious aroma, and it’s a nice departure from typical winter warming fare without many specialty ingredients. The simple familiar flavors worked well for everyone in the family.

A slow-cooker recipe built around a big pork shoulder certainly won’t work for a vegetarian guest or family, but the idea is easily adaptable.

Simply skip the meat and follow the instructions for sautéing the onions, peppers and garlic on the stove top. Add the tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and a bit of water or vegetable broth. Cover and braise the vegetables until the peppers and onions soften and begin to fall apart. Stir in balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce to finish. Spoon finished vegetables over polenta and top each serving with a bit of Parmesan cheese.

If you’re serving someone who prefers vegan dishes, skip the Worcestershire sauce (which contains anchovies) and the Parmesan. Prepare the polenta with water instead of milk.

The recipe is also gluten free, but carefully read the labels of Worcestershire sauces. Lea & Perrins is free of gluten, but it may be hiding in other brands as malt vinegar or natural flavorings.

Want to work more greens into this dish? Throw in a couple of handfuls of kale or another sturdy green that can be braised.

Italian Braised Pork with Polenta

From Cooking Light, January/February 2015.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 (1 1/2-pound) boneless pork shoulder (Boston butt)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided

2 cups vertically sliced onion

1 cup sliced yellow bell pepper

10 garlic cloves, minced

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 cups water

1 cup 2-percent reduced-fat milk

3/4 cup instant polenta

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil; swirl to coat. Sprinkle pork with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add pork to pan; cook 10 minutes, turning to brown all sides. Transfer pork to a slow cooker. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer mixture to slow cooker. Add remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper, tomatoes, rosemary and thyme. Cover and cook on low for 7 ½ hours. Add vinegar and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes; turn off heat. Shred pork with 2 forks.

Combine 2 cups water and milk in saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; add polenta, stirring with a whisk. Cook 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in cheese and remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper. Serve pork over polenta in shallow bowls.

Yield: 6 servings

Approximate nutrition per serving (from the magazine for 1 ¼ cups pork mixture and ½ cup polenta): 334 calories, 11.8 grams fat (3.8 grams saturated), 28 grams protein, 25 grams carbohydrate, 80 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams dietary fiber, 422 milligrams sodium.