Marche, central Italy
Vino cotto (cooked wine) — a Marche speciality made from must reduced by more than half to a syrupy condiment — is the defining ingredient of this pork loin braise. A tied pork loin is browned all over in olive oil and lard in a heavy casserole, then removed while the soffritto of onion, carrot and celery is built in the same fat. The loin is returned, surrounded by bay leaves and black peppercorns, then bathed in a mixture of vino cotto and white wine. The braise is covered and maintained at the lowest possible simmer for 90 minutes. The cooking liquid, enriched with the pork's juices and the vino cotto's natural sweetness, is reduced and mounted with cold butter as a sauce. The loin is sliced and served over soft polenta or boiled potatoes.
Sweet, slightly tangy vino cotto against savoury braised pork; bay and black pepper add aromatic bite; the mounted butter sauce provides silky, rich coating for the sliced loin.
{"Brown the tied loin before braising: the Maillard crust adds flavour complexity that the braising liquid cannot provide","Use authentic Marche vino cotto (grape must reduced to syrup), not vincotto from Apulia — the two products differ in flavour profile significantly","Maintain the braising liquid at the barest simmer: vigorous boiling tightens the lean pork loin","Rest the finished loin for 20 minutes before slicing — the internal temperature continues to rise and the juices redistribute","Mount the sauce with cold butter off heat — this creates a glossy, emulsified sauce rather than a greasy separated one"}
{"A sprig of rosemary and 2 juniper berries in the braising liquid complement the vino cotto's sweetness without overwhelming it","The reduced braising liquid mounted with butter can also be used as a sauce for polenta or boiled potatoes served alongside","Leftover sliced lonza is excellent cold with the jellied braising juices, served as an antipasto"}
{"Using balsamic vinegar as a substitute for vino cotto — balsamic is more acidic and lacks the specific aromatic sweetness of reduced grape must","Boiling rather than simmering the braise, producing dry, tight pork","Slicing immediately from the casserole without resting","Adding too much vino cotto — the sweetness should be a backdrop, not the dominant flavour"}
La Cucina delle Marche: Pane, Pasta e Piatti della Tradizione