76 Chapter 4 Gastronomic Identity II: Food and Cuisine
Food Item: Soul Pork Roast (courtesy Chef John Folse)
Yield:6 servings
The wordsoulis used to describe the music and the cooking style created in the slave quarters and cotton
fields of the South. Lesser cuts of meat, trimmings, and leftover vegetables were often thrown into an iron
pot in a slave cabin to create a dish that far surpassed an entre ́e in the ‘‘main house.’’ It takes a lot of soul
to create something out of nothing.Ingredients for Roast and Stuffing
One 5-lb (2.25 kg) Boston butt roast(^1) / 4 c (57 g) minced garlic
(^1) / 4 c (57 g) sliced green onions
1 tsp (5 g) thyme
1 tsp (5 g) basil
2 jalapeño or cayenne peppers, diced
4 tbsp (57 g) salt
4 tbsp (57 g) cracked black pepper
Louisiana hot sauce
Preparation
In a small mixing bowl, combine garlic, green onions,
thyme, basil, peppers, salt, and pepper. Using a
paring knife, pierce approximately ten 1-inch holes in
roast and season each pocket with an equal amount
of mixture. Season outside of roast completely with
additional salt, additional black pepper, and hot sauce
to taste.
Ingredients for Roasting
(^1) / 4 c (60 ml) vegetable oil
2 c (450 g) diced onions
1 c (225 g) diced celery
1 c (225 g) diced bell peppers
6 garlic cloves, chopped
6 carrots, sliced 1 inch thick
1 quart (.95 l) beef or chicken stock
1 c (225 g) sliced green onions
(^1) / 2 c (113 g) chopped parsley
Louisiana hot sauce
Preparation
In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high
heat. Place roast in pot and sear 3–5 minutes on all
sides. Surround roast with onions, celery, bell
peppers, garlic and carrots. Pour in stock, bring to a
rolling boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cover and place
in oven. Cook 2–2^1 / 2 hours or until roast is tender.
Add green onions, parsley and a dash of hot sauce.
Remove roast and place on a serving platter. Allow to
rest 15 minutes before slicing. Serve over steamed
white rice with a generous portion of pan drippings
and a slice of corn bread.
This pork dish has a lot of flavor with a touch of piquancy. Serve it with medium- to full-bodied reds such
as Syrah (Shiraz), Rioja, Chianti Classico, or Zinfandel. Or you could serve it with a full-bodied white such
as a toasty New World Chardonnay.