PORK LOIN WITH HORSERADISH CRÈME FRAICHE, APPLES AND DEMI-GLACE
Servings: 4people
Author: Susan Murray, www.awomancooksinasheville.com
Ingredients
For the pork
2-3lbboned loin of pork
Dry Rub (per pound of meat)
1tspsalt
1/8tspground pepper
¼tspground sage
Pinchof allspice
1clovefinely minced garlic
To cook the pork
4-6slicesof bacon
1onionsliced
1carrotsliced
Bouquet garni: Parsleyfresh thyme, bay leaf
For the apples
2Granny Smith Applesdiced
¼cupbutter
Pinchof salt
1tsplemon juice
For the Horseradish Crème Fraiche
½cupcrème fraiche
2-3tbspgrated horseradish root
½tsplemon juice
Pinchsalt
Demi glace
Strained drippings from the roast
1-2tbspveal demi-glace
Instructions
The day before cooking, mix together the dry rub and use your hands to rub it all over the pork loin. Put the loin in a bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
To cook the roast,
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Render the bacon fat in a Dutch Oven over low heat. You should have about three tablespoons of fat. Remove the bacon.
Dry the roast well then brown it on all sides in the bacon fat over medium low heat. Remove the roast from the pan and pour out all two tablespoons of fat.
Make a bouquet garni by tying together a handful of fresh parsley, four to five sprigs of fresh thyme and two bay leaves. Lower the heat, add the vegetables and the bouquet garni, cover and cook over low for five minutes until the vegetables have started to soften. Return the meat to the pan, cover and heat over medium until the meat is sizzling. Place the Dutch Oven in the preheated oven and cook for two hours, basting two or three times with the juices.
While the meat is cooking make the apples and the horseradish crème fraiche.
Once the meat is cooked, remove the roast and keep warm while you make the sauce.
For the Apples
Peel and dice two Granny Smith apples (or other tart cooking apples). Melt ¼ cup butter in a sauté pan over medium low heat. Add the apples to the pan and toss to coat. Sauté over low heat until the apples are soft and cooked through. Finish with a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of lemon juice.
For the Horseradish Crème Fraiche
Mix together ½ cup crème fraiche, 2-3 tablespoons grated horseradish (to taste), lemon juice and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
For the Demi-Glace Sauce
Strain the juices from the Dutch Oven over a bowl, pressing on the vegetables to get out as much of the flavor as possible. Discard the vegetables and re-strain the juices into a small sauce pan. Add one to two tablespoons of demi-glace and heat slowly until the demi-glace has dissolved.
To serve the roast, slice the roast thinly, dab with horseradish sauce, top with apples and demi-glace.