There’s nothing quite like finding a perfect recipe. You guard it, jealously, in the back of your head, or the back of your file. It lurks there, waiting for you to prepare it again. Which you will, you’re sure you will, soon. If only you weren’t afraid that it won’t turn out as good as it did last time.
It becomes like that special shirt you never actually wear because you’re afraid you might spill something on it. Or that it won’t fit right anymore. Or that you’ll catch yourself in the mirror and realize it doesn’t look that good, after all.
Here’s my favorite recipe, which I haven’t made in a while but will soon. And I’ll wear that shirt when I eat.
Herb-Roasted Pork Loin
Applying the mustard marinade twice and roasting slowly with butter and herbs will simultaneously infuse the meat with complex flavour and help protect its precious internal juices. It’s very important to use a roasting rack, which helps the air circulate, resulting in even cooking. Recipe by Suzanne Goin. Serves 6.
Ingredients
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon thyme leaves plus 6 sprigs
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
10 cloves garlic, smashed
1 center-cut pork loin, about 3 pounds
3 sprigs rosemary, broken into 3-inch pieces
3 sprigs sage
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, sliced
Chicken stock for deglazing
Directions
Whisk together the mustard, thyme leaves, parsley and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a shallow baking dish. Stir in the garlic, and slather the pork with this mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. Take the pork out of the refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. After 30 minutes, season the pork generously with salt and pepper. Reserve the marinade.
Preheat the oven to 325.
Heat a large saute pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and wait a minute or two, until the pan is very hot, almost smoking. Place the pork loin in the pan, and sear it on all sides until well browned and caramelized. Don’t turn it or move the pork too quickly or all the mustard will be left in the pan and not on the pork. Be patient; this searing process takes 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer the pork loin to a roasting rack, and slather the reserved marinade over the meat. Arrange the rosemary, sage and thyme sprigs on the roast and top with 3 tbsp butter. Roast the pork until a thermometer inserted into the center reads 120, about 1 1/4 hours. Let the pork rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.
While the pork is roasting, return the pork-searing pan to the stove over medium-high heat. Wait 1 to 2 minutes, then deglaze it with some chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, whisking and scraping the bottom of the pan to release the crispy bits. Swirl in 3 tablespoon butter and set aside.
To serve, arrange the haricots verts and spring onions on a large, warm platter. Slice the pork thinly, about 1/4-inch thick and fan the meat over the beans. Add the buttery pork juices and herbs to the sauce, bring to a boil, and then spoon it over the pork.
