Madeiran pork: The tangy dish that inspired Indian vindaloo
“Before there was Indian vindaloo, there was Portuguese carne vinha d’alhos,” said Albert Stumm in Milk Street magazine. Now a special-occasion meal on the Portuguese island of Madeira, where it and its namesake fortified wine was created, this marinated pork dish was once sturdy sailors’ grub that’d last through a long voyage. It apparently lasted all the way from Madeira to the colony of Goa, where lamb was substituted for pork to create vindaloo.
Though it’s common to marinate the pork for days, a Madeira native taught us a quicker version. “It’s delicious spooned onto a crispy roll, which quickly soaks up the sweet-tangy sauce.” That’s how it’s typically served in Madeira, but carne vinha d’alhos is also great with roasted or mashed potatoes.
Recipe of the week
Madeiran pork with wine and garlic (Carne vinha d’alhos)
5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1- to 1½-inch chunks
2 cups dry white wine
1 cup cider vinegar
10 bay leaves
6 medium garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp red pepper flakes
6 whole cloves (optional)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper 1 cup Madeira
¼ cup minced fresh oregano
In a large Dutch oven, stir together pork, wine, vinegar, bay leaves, garlic, dried oregano, pepper flakes, cloves (if using), and 1 tsp each salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 48 hours.
When you are ready to cook, heat oven to 325 with a rack in the lower-middle position. Set the pot, uncovered, on stove over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook until a skewer inserted into pork meets just a little resistance, about 1½ hours, stirring once halfway through.
Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork and garlic to rack while removing and discarding bay leaves and cloves.
Tilt pot to one side to pool cooking liquid, then use a wide spoon to skim off as much fat as possible; reserve fat.
Add Madeira to pot, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture has reduced to about 1 cup, 15 to 20 minutes; set aside. Remove and discard any large bits of fat on exterior of pork chunks.
In a 12-inch nonstick skillet over mediumhigh, heat 2 tbsp of reserved pork fat until barely smoking. Add pork and cook, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until well browned on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and add reduced cooking liquid. Return to medium-high and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced and pork is lightly glazed and begins to sizzle, 3 to 5 minutes. Taste and season with salt and black pepper, then stir in fresh oregano. Transfer to a serving dish. Serves 4 to 6.