Pretty Cheeky

Don't you just love the soundtrack to "You've Got Mail?" Just watched that movie for the first time in years. Once owned the music on a cassette tape. Wow!

But, more to the point: I was recently issued a challenge...in the form of pork cheeks. Pork cheeks? Pork cheeks? Who could resist splitting 10 pounds of fresh Niman Ranch pork, umm, cheeks?

My friend and fellow food editor, Stephen Exel, had an orgasmic experience with Sugo while in New York recently. Nope. Not a person. A rich, slow-simmered sauce—Italian. So he HAD to recreate it. With pork cheeks. He bellied up to his porkiest pal, purveyor of the aforementioned Niman Ranch products. "You gotta buy it in 10-pound lots," the guy tells Stephen.

So Stephen calls me, knowing that I'm a sucker for a food challenge. He tells me the Sugo story. I'm intrigued, and agree to buy half of his cheeks. We talk about a pork-off, but somehow I'm the only one who cooked. Stephen stashed his cheeks in the freezer. Mine begged to be braised. I cobbled together a buncha different recipes I stumbled across and ended up creating a simple concoction that was fall-off-the-bone tender...except there was no bone. Eye-rollingly rich and fatty and saucy.

And, yes, Stephen was invited to dinner. No picture. In our haste to try it, I forgot to take a picture.

Jeanne's Pork Cheeks

2 lb. pork cheeks, boneless

2 onions, cut in wedges
4 cloves garlic, squished through garlic press
2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup red wine
1 teaspoon gray sea salt and five-pepper blend (or salt and pepper)
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Brown the pork in a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boiling; cover and place in oven. Cook for 3 hours.
2. Serve pork and sauce over hot, cooked pasta or creamy polenta.