Cardamom Pork Roast with Apples and Figs
Roast:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground fennel
1 (3-pound) pork loin, trimmed
Cooking spray
2 cups dried figs, halved lengthwise
2 cups dried apples
1/4 cup minced crystallized ginger
3/4 cup pear nectar
1 (14 ounce) can low sodium chicken broth
Sauce:
1/2 cup pear nectar
1/2 cup port
2 tablespoons currant jelly
1/4 cup heavy cream
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
To prepare roast, combine first 9 ingredients in a small bowl. Rub mixture over surface of roast; place in a shallow roasting pan coated with cooking spray.
Place figs, apples, and crystallized ginger around roast. Pour 3/4 cup nectar and broth over fruit. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until meat thermometer resisters 160 degrees F., stirring fruit frequently. Remove from oven; place roast on a carving board, and place fruit in a bowl using a slotted spoon.
To prepare sauce, pour any pan juices into a sauce pan. Add 1/2 cup pear nectar, port, and jelly; bring to a boil. Cook 4 minutes or until thick enough to lightly coat back of a spoon. Stir in heavy cream; simmer 2 minutes or until sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally.