Maiale al Latte (Milk Braised Pork with Cabbage and Fennel)

A slow-braised Italian classic, pork shoulder braised gently in milk with sage and fennel, creating an unexpectedly tender and silky sauce. Serve with sauteed cabbage and kale.

Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 3.5 hours

Ingredients

• 1kg pork neck steaks (pork scotch steaks)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 fennel, cut into 2cm wedges
• 1 brown onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• Half bunch sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 rosemary sprigs
• 120ml white wine
• Half lemon peel, white removed
• 1L milk
• 1 tsp salt
• Quarter tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• Quarter tsp white pepper
• Quarter tsp ground nutmeg
• 30g unsalted butter
• Quarter cabbage, sliced into 1 to 2cm strips
• Half bunch Tuscan kale, leaves removed from the stem
• 1 to 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (for sauteing)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 140C (160C conventional).
2. Pat dry the steaks and lightly season with salt.
3. Heat a heavy-based ovenproof pot over high heat. Add 1 tbsp of olive oil and sear the steaks for 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove from the pot and set aside on a plate.
4. Sear the fennel wedges in the same pot for 1 to 2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove and set aside with the pork.
5. Add the onion, garlic, sage, bay leaf and rosemary sprigs. Saute for 3 to 4 minutes until golden. Pour in the wine and deglaze the pot. Bring to the boil and reduce the wine by half.
6. Add the lemon peel and milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, stirring to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.
7. Return the pork and fennel to the pot, cover with a lid and place in the oven for 3 hours.
8. Gently remove the pork from the sauce. Discard the bay leaf and lemon peel.
9. Whisk the butter into the sauce until smooth and silky.
10. Saute the cabbage and kale in a hot frying pan with 1 to 2 tbsp of olive oil, adding a splash of water. Cook until vibrant green and the water has evaporated. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
11. Serve the pork steaks on top of the cabbage and kale, spooning the milk sauce over and garnishing with fennel wedges.