Weekly Notes from the Cellar

Cool nights mean red wine and hearty meals, and this one is extremely wine-friendly. You may only think of pork shoulder when making Southern classics like barbequed pulled pork. But this economical cut gets a Mexican twist when braised with red wine and aromatic vegetables, plus a kick from some hot peppers. Serve with a delicious black bean and corn medley -- take advantage of those last ears of farmstand corn -- then add a juicy, spicy red wine and you have a luscious fall meal.

Menu: Spiced Up Pork and Beans

Wine: 2005 Domaine Houchart Cotes de Provence Red

Ingredients - Pork

3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into large pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp. cayenne pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

2 celery stalks, chopped

1 carrot, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced

3-4 cloves garlic, chopped

4 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups red wine

2 cups beef broth, chicken broth, or combination

2 bay leaves

Directions - Pork:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Pat the pork dry with paper towels and season with salt, pepper and cayenne.
2. In a large Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Brown the meat on all sides, working in batches if necessary to make sure the meat browns instead of steaming. Transfer the pork to a plate.
3. Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pan drippings and and cook over medium heat until softened.
4. Add the jalapeno and garlic and cook another few minutes.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it just begins to caramelize. Sprinkle with the flour and cook another few minutes to create a sort of tomato roux.
6. Whisk in the wine and reduce by half. Return the pork to the Dutch oven, then stir in the broth and bay leaves. Add a little water to bring the liquid to the top of the pork.
7. Cover the pan and place it in the oven to braise until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours. Adjust seasonings.

Ingredients - Beans:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can black beans, drained
2 ears corn, cut from the cob
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro

Directions - Beans:

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until tender.
2. Add beans, corn, sugar and vinegar to pot. Season with cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Toss with cilantro.

Serve the succulent braised pork and its rich, silky sauce over cooked white rice, with the black beans and corn alongside.