Greek panzanella with crispy pork

Name: Greek panzanella with crispy pork
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 4 lb pork shoulder, trimmed well and cut into big chunks; 8 cloves garlic, smashed, for the braise; 3 lemons, zest and juice; 5 tbsp olive oil, for the braise; 3 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped, for the braise (or dried, same amount); 2 tsp black pepper; 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the braise; 2 bay leaves; 1 cup chicken stock; 1 large country loaf, torn into big rough chunks (about 8 cups, day-old if you have it); ¼ cup olive oil, for the bread; 2 ½ lb ripe tomatoes (mix heirloom and cherry); 2 English cucumbers; 12 oz block feta (a block, never crumbled); ¼ cup capers, drained; big handfuls of fresh herbs (oregano, dill and basil); ½ cup good olive oil, for the dressing; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar, for the dressing; 1 tsp Dijon; 1 clove garlic, microplaned, for the dressing; 1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped, for the dressing; 1 large red onion, sliced thin; ½ cup red wine vinegar, for the onions; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 tsp kosher salt, for the onions; a few Castelvetranos, for your own plate

The benchmark bread salad gone Greek, with pork that crackles.

At a Glance

Time

5 hrs, mostly idle

Adjust servings

Story

The Greeks have been doing bread salad all along. Dakos, the Cretan salad built on barley rusks, is panzanella's older cousin, so this is less a fusion than a family reunion. Stale bread is the whole point either way. It holds its structure and drinks the dressing without disintegrating.

Ingredients

4 lb pork shouldertrimmed well and cut into big chunks
8 cloves garlicsmashed, for the braise
3 lemonszest and juice
5 tbsp olive oilfor the braise
3 tbsp fresh oreganochopped, for the braise (or dried, same amount)
2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp kosher saltfor the braise
2 bay leaves
1 cup chicken stock
1 large country loaftorn into big rough chunks (about 8 cups, day-old if you have it)
¼ cup olive oilfor the bread
2 ½ lb ripe tomatoesmix heirloom and cherry
2 English cucumbers
12 oz block fetaa block, never crumbled
¼ cup capersdrained
big handfuls of fresh herbsoregano, dill and basil
½ cup good olive oilfor the dressing
3 tbsp red wine vinegarfor the dressing
1 tsp Dijon
1 clove garlicmicroplaned, for the dressing
1 tbsp fresh oreganochopped, for the dressing
1 large red onionsliced thin
½ cup red wine vinegarfor the onions
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher saltfor the onions
a few Castelvetranosfor your own plate

Method

A yard party main dressed as a salad. The pork does its long, lazy thing in the oven while everything else falls into place around it.

Heat the oven to 300°F. In a Dutch oven, combine the pork, smashed garlic, lemon zest and juice, olive oil, oregano, black pepper, kosher salt, bay leaves and stock. Toss to coat, lid on tight, and roast 3 to 3½ hours, until a fork meets no resistance. The marinade and the braising liquid are the same thing, so there is nothing to do ahead. Pour yourself something and walk away.
While the pork cooks, pickle the onions. Combine the sliced onion, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt in a jar and submerge fully. 30 minutes on the counter at least, then into the fridge. They come out brilliant pink and tamed.
Make the dressing base. Whisk the good olive oil, red wine vinegar, Dijon, microplaned garlic and oregano in a jar with a big pinch of salt and several grinds of pepper. Refrigerate. It gets a finishing touch later.
When the pork surrenders, rest it 30 minutes in the pot, then shred with two forks. Skim the worst of the fat from the cooking liquid, without being precious about it, and return the shreds to their juices.
About an hour before serving, cut the tomatoes into wedges and halves and salt them aggressively in a colander set over a bowl. The tomato water that drips out is not waste. It is the finishing touch from step 3.
Toast the bread. Toss the torn chunks with the olive oil and a generous pinch of salt, then spread on a sheet pan at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, tossing once. Whisk a couple tablespoons of the reserved tomato water into the dressing. Taste it. Sharper than you think is correct, the bread rounds it out.
Slice the cucumbers thick, now and not before. They keep their snap.
Crisp the pork. Spread the shreds on a sheet pan with a splash of their own juices and broil on the top rack 5 to 7 minutes, watching closely, tossing once at the 4 minute mark. Lacquered crispy edges, not charcoal.
In your biggest serving bowl, layer the toasted bread, the tomatoes with all their juice, the cucumbers, the drained pickled onions, the capers and half the herbs. Pour over half the dressing, toss gently and let it sit 10 minutes. This is the move. The bread is drinking the tomato water and the vinegar, and that is why panzanella works.
Pile the crispy pork on top. Tear the feta into rough chunks and scatter generously, shower with the remaining herbs and drizzle the rest of the dressing. Do not toss again. Guests should see the layers. The Castelvetranos go on your own plate, dear boy.

Plan ahead, if the party deserves it. The braise, the pickled onions, the dressing base and the torn bread all happily happen the night before. Chill the pork in its juices, lift off the fat cap in the morning and leave the bread out uncovered to go properly stale. Chill the wine tonight too. Lukewarm wine at a yard party is the only real way to ruin this dish.

For a crowd

16-20 people

Already a yard-party main, but to feed a proper mob, double the braise across two Dutch ovens or one large covered roasting pan, same 300°F, same 3 to 3½ hours. Toast the bread across two or three sheet pans and crisp the pork in batches under the broiler so it lacquers instead of stewing. Build it in your largest vessel and, as ever, do not toss.

On the pass