Chef John’s Pork and Beans and Greens

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, cut into large pieces
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 (14 ounce) jar cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• Salt to taste
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons chicken stock
• 1 large bunch of fully grown arugula leaves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Grind salt, black pepper, cumin, rosemary, fennel, red pepper flakes, and oregano to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle. Add 2 cloves garlic and mash to a paste. Mix in brown sugar, wine vinegar, and 1 tablespoon olive oil; stir until paste is thoroughly combined.

Place pork chunks into a large roasting pan and spoon paste over meat; toss until meat coated.

Bake pork in the preheated oven for 1 hour; flip pork chunks and continue cooking until outside of meat has a browned crust, about 30 more minutes. Set aside and keep warm.

Pour 1 tablespoon olive oil into a skillet, place over medium heat, and add 2 sliced cloves of garlic; cook until garlic begins to sizzle, 1 minute. Stir beans into skillet and season with salt and red pepper flakes to taste; cook and stir until beans are heated through and coated with oil, 3 to 4 minutes. Pour in lemon juice and chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Mix arugula leaves into bean mixture and cook just until leaves are bright green, about 1 minute. Turn off heat and let mixture stand to allow arugula to wilt, about 1 more minute.

Place wilted arugula into the bottom of a serving bowl and top with beans and a chunk of caramelized pork; drizzle juices over meat to serve.