2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin
3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon fennel seed
4 branches rosemary
4 branches sage
Optional: extra-virgin olive oil
One day in advance, lard the pork loin with garlic, making incisions
into the underside of the roast with a small sharp knife and inserting
the garlic slices. Season the roast generously with salt and pepper.
Crush the fennel seeds coarsely in a mortar and sprinkle over the
meat. Press the rosemary and sage branches into the meat, and, using
butcher's twine, tie up the roast, using a simple slipknot finished
with a half hitch every 3 inches. Refrigerate.
The following day, bring the pork loin to room temperature. Pre-heat
the oven to 425°F. Roast the pork loin on a rack, uncovered, until the
internal temperature registers 130°F. on a meat thermometer, about 1
hour. Remove the roast from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let
rest in a warm place for at least 15 minutes. This allows the juices
to Stabilize and the roast to continue cooking slowly without drying
out. The meat will be moist, with the barest tinge of pink. Slice the
pork and arrange on a warm platter with the herb branches. If you
wish, drizzle with fruity Tuscan olive oil.
Note: Cooking over a bed of hardwood coals always adds flavor, especially to
roasts. For those unable to roast over an open fire, here is a method
that approximates the result. Overnight seasoning cures the meat
lightly, and the fennel and herb branches perfume the meat as it
roasts. Serve with roasted root vegetables.
Serves: 4-6
Source: Chez Panisse Café Cookbook. Copyright 1999 by Alice Waters.
Prepared by: Stacey for the January 2009 meeting.