2015 RibaFreixo, Gáudio Clássico, Alentejo, Portugal + Broken Arrow’s Braised Pork and Polenta with Greens
This is a perfect Sunday supper—the 2015 RibaFreixo, Gáudio Clássico, Alentejo, a beautifully aged and savory Portuguese red, paired with Chef Joshua Worrey’s slow-cooked pork in a rich tomatoey sauce with creamy polenta and textured greens. Please call us when it’s ready!
Ribafreixo is a Portuguese vineyard and winery located in the heart of the Alentejo region. Their 2015 Gáudio Clássico is made from a blend of 40% Touriga Nacional, 40% Alicante Bouschet, 10% Tinta Miúda, and 10% Aragonez, aged 7 months in French oak barrels and 12 months in bottle before release.
The importer of this wine lives in Saco and we were delighted at the opportunity to visit with her and taste some of the wines in her portfolio. This wine was a standout for us, as were others, and was something we scooped up quickly to include in our March Wine Club deliveries.
The wine is clear, bright, deep ruby, and dry with notes of juicy and savory dark plum, blackberry, black currant, blueberry, and red cherry with dark earth, vanilla, tobacco, and chocolate. It is full-bodied with medium-plus acidity and medium-plus smooth tannins that are all in balance with the generous amount of fruit and fresh earthiness that linger plenty-smooth on the palate. This wine is at its peak right now. No need to decant this one.
And for the perfect paring … One day, last month we got to step into the Broken Arrow kitchen with the extremely talented Chef Joshua Worrey. He shared the recipes for his Braised Pork and Polenta with Greens, which is a perfect pairing for this wine. You’ll find the three recipes below. And if that looks like a lot of work (trust us it is a lot easier than it looks) then you can make yourself a reservation at Broken Arrow to enjoy this worth-the-trip dish. Since then, we’ve gone back several times to enjoy it with different friends, who have also gone back to enjoy it again. It’s that good! As are so many other dishes on their menu. If you have not ventured into Broken Arrow yet, we highly encourage you to.
Joshua Worry, Head Chef at Broken Arrow. Photo taken by Nicole Wolf. Used with permission.
Broken Arrow is one of the small independent restaurants that opened in Portland in October 2020 in the midst of COVID shutdowns. So you may not have been ready to venture out at that time, but by the buzz on the street about their delicious cuisine and rustic and homey feel, I’d say it’s safe to say that they are going to stick around for a while.
The Head Chef, Joshua Worrey, is born and raised in Portland, Maine. At the age of 16, he fell in love with cooking and creating and has never looked back. Nostalgic recipes from family-passed and the comforts of his modest start in the industry inspire his cuisine. We are entirely grateful to him for sharing his time and recipes with us so we could share them with you. It’s really very good and a perfect pairing with the 2015 RibaFreixo, Gáudio Clássico.
If you’re not a wine club member yet, there is still time to join.
RECIPES
There are actually three separate recipes here for the braised pork, polenta, and greens, that are combined together to make this incredibly delicious meal. We’re pretty sure you will be making this dish over and over again. It does have some steps that can be done overnight. Be sure to read the recipe thoroughly. It’s easier than it looks and such a satisfying meal. Or you can have Chef Worrey make it for you at Broken Arrow.
Serves 2-4
BRAISED PORK
Ingredients
3-6 lb Local Pork Shoulder
3 large Vidalia onions
1/2 cup minced garlic (about 8 cloves)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
40 oz San Marzano whole tomatoes, crush with a fork or spoon
3 Bay Leaves
4 pinches red pepper flake (optional)
1 cup dry red or white wine
EVOO + salt + pepper to taste
Steps
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
Rub the pork shoulder with oil and season with salt and pepper on all sides
Bake at 375 degrees for one hour in a casserole or pie dish
In a large stockpot (4-8 QT) add 2-3 TBSP of the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic on medium heat until translucent.
Add 1 cup red wine and let it cook out a little bit of the alcohol for 2-3 minutes
Add the tomatoes, herbs, and pork (put the pork in whole)
Braise at a simmer (medium-low heat) for 2-3 hours until fork-tender.
Once it's fork-tender let it rest off the heat and in the sauce for an hour.
Then take two forks and break apart the pork in the sauce.
POLENTA
Ingredients
1 cup Maine Grains cornmeal
1 pint of heavy cream
1 small bag of homemade or store-bought popcorn such as Little Lads from Corinth, Maine (widely available at local markets)
2 cups water
Approximately 1 TBSP unsalted butter
Salt to taste
Steps
Make-ahead: 2 cups of popcorn cream – by steeping a handful of popped popcorn in the pint of heavy cream for an hour or overnight. Or for a dairy-free polenta, use all water instead of the popcorn cream.
In a medium sauté pan or a 2 QT sauce pot bring the popcorn cream, water, salt + pepper to a boil and turn to low.
Turn down to low heat, slowly whisk in the cornmeal with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until thickened, constantly stirring 10-15 minutes until thickened.
Add salt and butter to taste
SAUTÉED GREENS
Ingredients
1 bunch of fresh Kale or Collard Greens – rinsed and torn off the stem, rough chopped
1/2 White Onion diced
1 clove of Garlic chopped
1/4 c dry red or white wine
2-3 TBSP Apple Cider Vinegar
EVOO
Salt & Pepper
Steps
In a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 TBSP olive oil, chopped greens, onion, garlic, a splash of wine, and cider vinegar and lightly sauté
Cook to taste - wilted or cooked down. Your preferences. The closer to wilted the more texture. Taste as you cook. Season with salt and pepper.
Plating for each person:
1 cup of polenta
1 ladle of pork
¼ of the greens
Finish with a drizzle of EVOO over the top. Chef Worley recommends a good finishing EVOO such as Olio Verde Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Leftovers? Make a hash out of the pork and serve it over the polenta with a poached egg on top.