Post by chefkel on May 8, 2007 17:46:16 GMT -5
Pork Loin with Fig and Port Sauce--Everyday Italian
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a WOW dish for us. It wasn't any work at all for the results. We loved the fig sauce--you could just eat that with a spoon. You just put the sauce on to reduce while you roast the pork. Then you reduce down the pork drippings and blend the sauce together both which could be done ahead of time and reheated.
Sauce:
2 1/2 cups port
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped*
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pork:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1 (4 to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin
For the sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)
For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using a large sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.
There is a photo of the sauce in Everyday Italian. It looks more like a jam than a true sauce. My 8 dried figs was about 1/3 cup. I figured out after boiling down the port that the sauce wasn't thick enough, so I chopped up 8 more figs and added them at a simmer. The sauce was very thick which suited us just fine. I wish the fig quantity was in ounces or cups, not fruits. I think I wound up with about 2/3 cup. I know sizes of dried Mission figs will differ. I've seen some huge ones, but mine were tiny--about the size of a quarter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This was a WOW dish for us. It wasn't any work at all for the results. We loved the fig sauce--you could just eat that with a spoon. You just put the sauce on to reduce while you roast the pork. Then you reduce down the pork drippings and blend the sauce together both which could be done ahead of time and reheated.
Sauce:
2 1/2 cups port
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
8 dried black Mission figs, coarsely chopped*
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pork:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
1 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1 (4 to 4 1/2-pound) boneless pork loin
For the sauce: In a heavy medium saucepan, combine the first 6 ingredients. Boil over medium-high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Discard the herb sprigs and cinnamon sticks (some of the rosemary leaves will remain in the port mixture). Transfer the port mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Blend in the butter. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and pepper. (The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.)
For the pork: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Stir the oil, rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a small bowl to blend. Place the pork loin in a heavy roasting pan. Spread the oil mixture over the pork to coat completely. Roast until an instant read meat thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 145 degrees F, turning the pork every 15 minutes to ensure even browning, about 45 minutes total.
Transfer the pork to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep warm. Let the pork rest 15 minutes. Meanwhile, stir the chicken broth into the roasting pan. Place the pan over medium heat, and scrape the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Bring the pan juices to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Using a large sharp knife, cut the pork crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pork slices on plates. Spoon the jus over. Drizzle the warm fig sauce around and serve immediately.
There is a photo of the sauce in Everyday Italian. It looks more like a jam than a true sauce. My 8 dried figs was about 1/3 cup. I figured out after boiling down the port that the sauce wasn't thick enough, so I chopped up 8 more figs and added them at a simmer. The sauce was very thick which suited us just fine. I wish the fig quantity was in ounces or cups, not fruits. I think I wound up with about 2/3 cup. I know sizes of dried Mission figs will differ. I've seen some huge ones, but mine were tiny--about the size of a quarter.