Roast Pork Shank with Apicius Sauce - Arrosto di Stinco con Salsina Apicius

by Gennaro Contaldo, featured in Gennaro's Hidden Italy

Published by Pavilion

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Introduction

I discovered this example of Ancient Roman cuisine through the Historical Italian Cooking Blog, which quoted it from the Apicius, a collection of Roman recipes, which may date back to the 5th century. The original recipe uses a whole suckling pig and the herbs lovage and rue in the sauce. However, I have adapted this, preferring fennel seeds and rocket in place of rue, a very bitter herb no longer recommended as edible. In Ancient Rome, garum (a fermented fish sauce) was widely used as a condiment for this feast. The modern-day equivalent, colatura di alici, is made from fresh anchovies. It has quite a pungent flavour so should be used sparingly, but combined with runny honey, herbs and spices, it really works.

For US measures and ingredient names, use the toggle at the top of the ingredients list.

As featured in

Gennaro's Hidden Italy

Image of Gennaro Contaldo's Roast Pork Shank with Apicius Sauce — Photo by David Loftus

Ingredients

Serves: 2-3

Metric U.S.

abundant large bay leaves
1.3 kilogram pork shank
extra virgin olive oil
roast potatoes (to serve)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SAUCE

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
30 grams rocket (finely chopped)
½ handful of mint leaves (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon runny honey
1 tablespoon white wine
2 teaspoons colatura di alici

abundant large bay leaves
3 pounds pork shank
extra virgin olive oil
roast potatoes (to serve)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE SAUCE

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 ounce arugula (finely chopped)
½ handful of mint leaves (finely chopped)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon white wine
2 teaspoons colatura di alici

Method

Roast Pork Shank with Apicius Sauce - Arrosto di Stinco con Salsina Apicius is a guest recipe by Gennaro Contaldo so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan/220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 and line a roasting tin with bay leaves.
Rub the pork all over with olive oil, salt and pepper, then arrange in the roasting tin over the bay and roast for about 2½ hours, until cooked through.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce in a bowl. Grind the fennel seeds until you obtain a fine powder, then combine with the coriander and pepper. Add the rocket and mint, stir through the runny honey, wine and Colatura di Alici, then set aside. You could also do this in a small blender to make a really smooth sauce.
Remove the pork from the oven and leave to rest for about 5 minutes. To serve, carve into thin slices and pour over the sauce. Serve with roast potatoes.

Preheat the oven to 200°C Fan/220°C/425°F/gas mark 7 and line a roasting tin with bay leaves.
Rub the pork all over with olive oil, salt and pepper, then arrange in the roasting tin over the bay and roast for about 2½ hours, until cooked through.
In the meantime, prepare the sauce in a bowl. Grind the fennel seeds until you obtain a fine powder, then combine with the coriander and pepper. Add the arugula and mint, stir through the honey, wine and Colatura di Alici, then set aside. You could also do this in a small blender to make a really smooth sauce.
Remove the pork from the oven and leave to rest for about 5 minutes. To serve, carve into thin slices and pour over the sauce. Serve with roast potatoes.

Additional Information

Ingredient Note:
If you like crackling, leave the skin on the pork shank, otherwise remove it with a sharp knife (you can ask your butcher to do this for you) before cooking.

Cooking Tip:
The sauce tastes even better if made in advance so the flavours infuse nicely, preferably overnight. It's best kept in the fridge then served at room temperature when required.

Ingredient Note:
If you like crackling, leave the skin on the pork shank, otherwise remove it with a sharp knife (you can ask your butcher to do this for you) before cooking.

Cooking Tip:
The sauce tastes even better if made in advance so the flavours infuse nicely, preferably overnight. It's best kept in the fridge then served at room temperature when required.