Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Spinach

I have always believed cooking and/or baking for family and/or friends is the simplest, most sincere expression of love. For as long as I can remember, making family and friends feel welcomed and comfortable around the dinner table is something that matters to me. Over the years my list of takeaways from the Martha Stewart, in her earlier years, and Ina Garten, ever since I first discovered her, have contributed, in large part, to my own style of having people over. More often than not I tend to make recipes some would consider a little bit on the fussy side. Ones having lots of steps and long list of ingredients. Recipes that challenge me and most importantly satisfy everyone at the table bring me both angst and joy. Finding balance between those two emotions is a welcome challenge. So every now and then when I discover an unfussy recipe that delivers big on both flavor and presentation, I am ecstatic! Because in my world those two things are what really matters most. It's never one nor the other, it's always both. Don't ever let anyone tell you anything different. If by chance I experience more joy than angst in the cooking process, well I border on feeling delirious. To be honest, I don't seem to have a significant number of those 'unfussy' joyful recipes in my repertoire. However, it happens to be high on the list of the things I would like to see change with the beginning of the new decade. Dishes delivering big on flavor and presentation while simultaneously leaving me feeling like a happy energizer bunny. Maybe ending this decade with such a recipe, especially ones with new flavors and even techniques, would give this goal of mine some much desired momentum.

A recipe like this Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Spinach, an incredibly flavorful pork and beans dish.

If you have already scrolled down to the ingredient list, you might wonder how a dish made with harissa paste and preserved lemons would even qualify as being something unfussy. But it really is. Those two ingredients just happen to be going from slightly obscure to more accessible here in the states. I might go so far as to say harissa paste, a smoky-spicy condiment, is becoming more mainstream than obscure. Harissa paste, a North African condiment, is referred by some as the Sriracha of the Middle East, but having a more complex flavor profile. Made with smoked/roasted red peppers, a myriad of herbs and spices (garlic paste, caraway seeks, coriander seeds, cumin) and olive oil it essentially is a spicy, aromatic chile paste. Store bought harissa paste does have varying degrees of spiciness. Although being new to the world of harissa I was aware there was such a thing a mild one when I first made the Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Spinach. (See notes.)

What makes this recipe truly unfussy is it's ease of preparation. Searing the pork shoulder before roasting is not necessary. The high heat at the end of the cooking process will give it a nice crispy finish. With an initial roasting time of 3 to 3 1/2 hours, you are not tied to the kitchen. Other than finely chopping the garlic and ultimately slicing the preserved lemon into thin strips, there isn't a whole lot of chopping work going on here.  Sounds pretty easy, right? Well it is!

Using a boneless pork shoulder makes slicing the roasted pork much easier. But when I got home from the grocery store I discovered a bone-in pork shoulder rather than a boneless one was wrapped in the butcher paper. So I deboned it myself and tied up the pork shoulder with some kitchen string. So when buying or ordering a pork shoulder, make sure you ask for boneless! Or rather make sure they hear you ask for boneless! There is more than enough of the harissa mixture, even after liberally slathering all over the roast. After adding water to the pot, the lid goes on and the pot goes into a preheated 325 degree (F) oven. For the next 3 to 3 1/2 hours the magic starts to happen.

When the pork is nearly falling apart tender it's removed from the oven and the beans are added in. The oven temperature is increased to 425 degrees (F). The pot goes back into the oven (this time uncovered) and cooks for another 35 to 45 minutes. Just until the top of the pork is deeply golden brown and beans have soaked up the majority of the liquid.

When this happens, remove the pork from the pan and place on a cutting board to rest for about five minutes. The spinach and preserved lemon is added into the pot with the beans. When the spinach has wilted, the bean mixture is ready.

You can either serve the Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Spinach on a large platter or right out of the pot. Then get ready to savor every bite. This twist on pork and beans is insanely delicious.

If you are looking to have family and/or friends for a casual, yet incredibly delicious dinner you will definitely want to make this Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Spinach. Paired with a beautiful salad and some wine, you have all of the makings of a really great, memorable meal. Serve this dish on a cold night and no one will even notice there is a chill in the air.

Looking for a dish to serve on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day? Make this inviting, mouthwatering,  unfussy version of Pork and Beans. It may just be the most perfect end to the year or an even more perfect start to the new year.

Recipe
Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Spinach (a slight adaptation to Alison Roman's Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Chard recipe from her cookbook "Nothing Fancy")

Ingredients
4 pound boneless pork shoulder
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup harissa paste (See notes)
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups water
2 cans (15.5 ounce size) small white beans, cannellini beans and/or great northern beans, drained and rinsed (Recommend 3 cans of small white beans)
1 large bunch of spinach, stems removed, leaves torn into bite-sized pieces (See Notes)
1 preserved lemon, seeds removed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup cilantro, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
1 lemon, halved

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees (F).
2. Season the pork with kosher salt and pepper in a large Dutch cast iron oven. 
3. In a medium sized bowl, combine the harissa paste, vinegar, tomato paste, brown sugar, and garlic. Smear he harissa mixture all over the pork, making certain to get in all the nooks and crannies. Keep the pork fat side up. Note: You may have some of the mixture leftover.
4. Add the water. Place the lid on the pot and roast until the pork is nearly falling apart tender (approximately 3 to 3 1/2 hours).
5. Remove the lid, add the beans and season with kosher salt. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees (F). Roast the pork and beans (uncovered) until the beans have soaked up the majority of liquid and the top of the pork is deeply golden brown (approximately 35-45 minutes).
6. Transfer the pork to a cutting board. Let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into 1/2 inch thick slices.
7. Add the spinach and preserved lemon. Stir until the spinach has wilted.
8. Spoon the beans and spinach mixture onto a large platter. Top with the sliced pork. Alternately keep the beans and spinach in the Dutch oven and place the cut pork on top, serving directly from the pot.
9. Scatter with chopped cilantro and serve a lemon alongside for squeezing over. Serve and swoon over.
10. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator. They heat up beautifully in the microwave.

Notes: (1) Instead of using spinach could also use chard. (2) Harissa paste can be found in some grocery stores and at Trader Joe's. This dish is on the spicy but not too spicy. If spiciness worries you, use 1/3 cup of the harissa paste. (3) I used a combination of small white beans and cannellini beans. I would recommend using 3 cans of small white beans next time. (4) Preserved lemons can also be found at some grocery stores and online, but also at places like World Market.