Well, hello autumn!!! Finally this weekend we got 3 glorious, sun-filled days in the 60s--and the mild bite in the air inspired me to make a roast. This month's Real Simple has a whole section on them--next, I'm going to try the roast beef with tomatoes--but I wanted something that would help me detox after a pretty...ahem...hectic weekend. The pork loin is low in fat, the pears and red onion are high in antioxidants, and the potatoes provide the crucial comfort factor. Best of all, this dish takes only 15 minutes of prep, and requires very little cleanup. What more could you ask for?!
So, how does it taste? Deeeelish. The pork tastes like it's been braised--you don't even need a knife to cut through it, it's like buttah--and the fennel, garlic, and pear juice combine into a great light sauce. I would recommend using a very large roasting pan for this dish, to give all the elements a chance to brown. When serving, spoon some of the juices over the medallions of pork.
Makes (at least) 6 servings
15 minutes prep, 70 minutes cooking time
1 tbsp fennel seeds
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp of olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
2 pounds boneless pork loin (I used tenderloin)
2 red onions, quartered
1 pound small white potatoes, quartered
3 firm pears (such as Bartlett or D'Anjou), cored and quartered
Heat oven to 400. Grind up the fennel seeds, either in a mortar and pestle or using the bottom of a heavy pan. In a small bowl, mix the seeds, the garlic, 2 tbsp of the oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1/4 tbsp pepper. Rub the mixture over the pork. In the roasting pan, mix the onions, potatoes, pears, 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, and the remaining oil. Nestle the pork in the middle of the produce in the pan. Roast until cooked through, about 70 minutes (internal temp of 160). Let the pork rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
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