The Minimalist to the Rescue

We tried a new recipe from The Minimalist, author of the most useful cookbook ever (How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food).

Here's the recipe:

• Take 2lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1-2" chunks. Sear the meat and then put it aside (hell, retain the pan; you'll be making a sauce later)
• You'll need 1lb of carrots (baby or chunked)
• 2 cups fruity red wine (beaujolais or pinot noir, for example) (substitute 1/2 cup good vinegar and make up the volume with water)
• 1 cup of nice stock
• 10 or so cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tbsp butter (hmm, sinful)
• a bit of flour (a few tablespoonfuls)
• Egg noodles, about 1 lb

• Combine the meat, stock, wine, carrots and garlic in a large pan (you'll need a big one, as this is a bit of a stew).
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour (with the cover on the pot).
• Strain out the solids, depositing the liquid into the pan you saved (the one with the tasty meat-searing-bits).
• Reduce the liquid with high heat to about 1 and a half cups, scraping the bottom of the pan to release then good pork stuff.
• Add the butter and lower heat to, well, low.
• Add the flour, stir in carefully until smooth.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Cook noodles al dente, strain.
• Combine everything, eat.
• Thank me, Mark Bittman.