Roast loin of pork with roasted pears
- Prepare
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Cook
- 1 to 2 hours
- Serve
- Serves 8–10
A show-stopping pork roast, cooked with a garlic and fennel rub and served with sweet roasted pears, cabbage, onions and wild mushrooms.
Ingredients
For the pork
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- 2–3 tbsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp whole peppercorns
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 3kg/6lb 8oz whole free-range pork loin, skin scored
- 3 onions, peeled and chopped
- 3 celery sticks, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 garlic heads, halved
- 2 bay leaves
For the garnish
- 4 ripe pears, unpeeled and quartered
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 bunch fresh thyme, leaves picked
- 1 savoy cabbage
- 50g/1¾oz unsalted butter
- 1 bay leaf
- 500ml/18fl oz chicken stock
- 1 bunch fresh sage
- 3 red onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges
- 500g/1lb 2oz mixed wild mushrooms
For the vinaigrette
- 1 small jar black truffle, finely chopped
- a few drops truffle oil, to taste
- meat juices from the pork
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp finely chopped thyme
- 6 confit garlic heads (from the roasted pork)
Method
Using a pestle and mortar, crush the garlic with salt, pepper and the fennel seeds, then stir in some olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Rub the pork all over with the garlic and fennel mixture, drizzle with a little vinegar and place on top of the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and bay leaves in a large roasting tin.
Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and cook for about 1 hour, or until the internal temperature reaches 60C. Rest for 30–40 minutes before carving.
For the garnish, season the pears, brush with oil and scatter with thyme. Roast for about 25 minutes, until tender.
Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges, season and sear in a pan with oil and butter until coloured. Add thyme, the bay leaf and stock, then transfer to the oven at 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 for about 30 minutes, until soft.
Heat butter in a pan, fry the sage leaves until crisp, then remove and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and cook gently for 30 minutes until soft. Remove, then fry the mushrooms quickly until coloured. Season.
For the vinaigrette, skim the fat from the roasting juices and whisk with the truffle, truffle oil, mustard, a little olive oil, vinegar, thyme and some of the roasted garlic, to taste. Season well.
To serve, slice the pork and serve with the crackling, pears, cabbage, onions and mushrooms. Spoon over the truffle vinaigrette.
