Tuscan-Style Pork Roast with Winter Vegetables
You almost need blustery weather and cool temps to appreciate the deep flavors of juicy garlic-spiked pork and earthy vegetables. While the pork and vegetables roast, your home will be filled with delicious aromas. If you have a bit of time, let the pork sit in the fridge after poking and rubbing it with the garlicrosemary mixture. The vegetables, except the potatoes, may be prepped ahead of time, too. The cooking time for both is about an hour, so you could pop pork and vegetables in the oven when guests arrive or the family gathers. The vegetables may take a few minutes longer, but the pork will be resting, so not to worry.My favorite winter squash to roast is kabocha. It’s exceptionally flavorful, thick fleshed, and dense with either green-striped or orange skin. Smaller kabocha have edible skin, so seek those out. If you can’t find kabocha, choose delicata squash and cut the pieces in 2-inch chunks, as the flesh is thinner.I love any turnip, but hakurei (also called Tokyo turnips) are my favorites. They’re small, crisp, sweet, all white, and are often sold in bunches with their leaves. If the leaves are fresh and perky, they’re delicious cooked like any other green (with garlic and olive oil). Otherwise, compost them. If hakurei turnips aren’t available, use purple top turnips and peel them first.
Ingredients
TUSCAN-STYLE PORK ROAST
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
- 1 heaping teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ teaspoon fennel seeds
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅛ –¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2- pound boneless pork loin, with some fat if possible
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES
- 1 –1¼ pounds kabocha or delicata squash, scrubbed, seeded, and cut into
- 1- inch chunks
- 1 pound yellow-fleshed waxy potatoes, skins on or peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed (halve larger sprouts)
- 8 –10 ounces hakurei turnips, stems (if any) trimmed to 1 inch, scrubbed, and halved
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
TUSCAN-STYLE PORK ROAST
- Preheat the oven to 375°, if roasting the pork right away. Oil a medium roasting pan. Coarsely chop the garlic on a board. Add the rosemary, salt, and fennel seeds, and chop fairly fine, crushing the mixture with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl and stir in the black and red peppers.
- If the roast is not already tied, tie it every two inches with kitchen twine to maintain shape. With a paring knife, poke about 10 to 12 small holes all over the pork and insert a bit of the rosemary-garlic mixture into each. Rub the remaining mixture over the pork. Place it in the prepared roasting pan. If not roasting right away, loosely cover and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.
- Before roasting, drizzle pork with the olive oil. Roast 50 to 60 minutes, basting a couple times with the pan juices, until an instantread meat thermometer inserted into the center registers 135° to 140°. Check after 40 minutes to prevent overcooking. Tent loosely with foil and let stand at least 10 minutes before carving and serving with the roast vegetables and pan juices.
ROASTED WINTER VEGETABLES
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Oil a large rimmed baking pan.
- Put all the vegetables on the prepared pan. Drizzle with the oil, sprinkle with the thyme, if using, and season well with salt and pepper. Roast, stirring several times, until the vegetables are tender and lightly browned in spots, 60 to 70 minutes.