Spiced Roast Pork with Fennel and Apple Salad

Ingredients

• •15 whole dried Kashmiri, guajillo, or New Mexico chiles, seeds removed
• •5 pieces star anise
• •3 Tbsp fennel seeds
• •2 Tbsp coriander seeds
• •2 Tbsp cumin seeds
• •1 Tbsp peppercorns
• •2 tsp whole cloves
• •6 cloves garlic
• •½ cup apple cider vinegar
• •½ cup vegetable oil
• •1 piece boneless pork shoulder
• •4½ tsp kosher salt
• •1 to taste Flaky sea salt
• •1 bulb fennel
• •1 whole Honeycrisp apple
• •2 whole serrano or red Thai chiles
• •3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• •1 handful cilantro
• •1 to taste Kosher salt
• •1 piece spice mill or mortar and pestle

Cooking Instructions

1. 1.

   Cook chiles, star anise, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and cloves in a dry small skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until slightly darkened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool. Set one-fourth of spice mixture aside.

   5 min

2. 2.

   Blend garlic, vinegar, 1/4 cup oil, and 1/4 cup water in a blender until smooth. Add remaining toasted spices and blend, adding splashes of water if needed to help turn the blades, until chile paste is mostly smooth; some texture is okay.

   10 min

3. 3.

   Season pork with 1 tsp. kosher salt per pound (check the butcher's sticker on the package to see the weight of what you purchased). Smear half of chile paste all over pork; transfer to a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet or a roasting pan and let sit at room temperature at least 2 hours, or cover and chill up to 12 hours.

   120 min

4. 4.

   Finely grind reserved spice mixture in a spice mill or with mortar and pestle. Transfer to a small skillet; stir in remaining 1/4 cup oil. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring, until spices have darkened slightly and are fragrant, about 1 minute. Let spice oil cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Cover and set aside.

   15 min

5. 5.

   Preheat oven to 275°F. Roast pork until paste is darkened and looks dried out and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 120°F, 11/2-2 hours, depending on the size. Make sure to take the temperature in more than one spot as there will be thick and thin parts of the roast. Let rest 2 hours.

   240 min

6. 6.

   Preheat oven to 500°F. Rub pork with reserved chile paste and roast until marinade has formed a fragrant crust and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 130°F, 8-12 minutes. Transfer pork to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes. Thinly slice and transfer to a platter. Spoon reserved spice oil over pork; sprinkle with sea salt.

   30 min

7. 7.

   Toss fennel bulb and fronds, apple, lime zest and juice, chiles, and cilantro in a large bowl; season salad with salt. Drizzle oil over and toss to coat. Serve pork with salad.

   15 min