Mani Choirini Tigania (Χοιρινή Τηγανιά Μάνης)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •heavy frying pan, 28cm
• •wooden spoon for scraping the pan

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the pork

   Pat the pork very dry and season it all over with the salt and pepper. If you have 30 minutes, leave it uncovered in the refrigerator while you set the table and open the wine. Dry meat browns. Wet meat boils in its own juices, and then the tigania loses the whole point.

2. 2

   Heat the pan

   Set a heavy frying pan over high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, then add the olive oil. The oil should shimmer and move quickly across the pan. Add only half the pork, with space between the pieces, and leave it alone until the underside is deep brown.

3. 3

   Brown in batches

   Turn the pork and brown the other sides, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Move the first batch to a plate and repeat with the rest. Keep the heat high. This hard browning is the method that decides the dish, because the wine later lifts that dark crust into the sauce.

4. 4

   Add aromatics

   Return all the pork to the pan. Add the crushed garlic and the orange peel, if using, and toss for 30 seconds, just until the garlic smells sweet. Do not let it darken.

5. 5

   Finish with wine

   Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat to medium and cook until the wine reduces to a glossy spoonful around the meat, about 8 minutes. The pork should be cooked through but still juicy.

6. 6

   Lemon and oregano

   Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and oregano, then rest the pork for 3 minutes so the sharpness settles into the fat. Taste before adding more salt. Serve at once, with bread for the pan juices.

Chef Tips

• •Use pork shoulder, not lean loin. Tigania needs a little fat inside the meat, because that fat carries the oregano and keeps the cubes juicy under high heat.
• •If the pan is small, cook in three batches. Crowding the pan is the fastest way to make a pale, tired dish.
• •Serve with fried potatoes, horta, or country bread. A glass of dry white wine beside it is enough. Good olive oil, and patience where patience matters.

Advance Preparation

• •Cut and salt the pork up to 12 hours ahead, then refrigerate uncovered or loosely covered so the surface dries.
• •Juice the lemon just before cooking. Bottled lemon gives the dish a flat taste.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 190g)