Ciao Chow Linda

Tuscan-style Pork Roast

Ingredients

• Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen:

• For Two Pork Loins (2 1/2 pounds each)

• 16 cloves garlic (yes, that’s right)

• 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• zest of one lemon, grated

• 2 tablespoons minced rosemary

• 5-6 ounces pancetta (not too lean)

• salt, pepper

• 2 teaspoons fennel pollen (or ground fennel seed)

Instructions

1. Put the garlic, red pepper flakes and lemon zest in a cold pan with the olive oil.

2. Heat on low to medium for about 3 minutes or until the garlic starts to sizzle.

3. Add the minced rosemary and stir for about 30 seconds.

4. Pour everything (over a bowl) through a fine mesh strainer, pressing to get as much liquid through as possible. Set the olive oil aside.

5. Cut the pancetta into small pieces and put into a food processor, along with the lemon garlic mixture (not the olive oil).

6. Pulse about 30 seconds or until you have a paste, adding some olive oil if needed.

7. Take a long, sharp knife and cut into the pork loin, about 1 inch from the edge, and staying even, cut it open in a “book” fashion, until the roast is one long flat piece.

8. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the meat and pound even.

9. Season liberally with salt, pepper and the fennel pollen.

10. Spread the paste evenly over the inside of the roast and roll back up.

11. Tie it with butcher’s twine and place on a rack.

12. Put it in the refrigerator at least one hour, or even overnight to allow flavors to meld into the meat.

13. Roast in a 275 degree oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until an internal temperature of 125 degrees to 130 degrees. The temperature will continue to rise while it’s resting.

14. Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for twenty minutes to a half hour.

15. Meanwhile, make the lemon olive oil sauce by cutting two lemons in half and searing the cut ends in a very hot cast iron skillet.

16. Remove the lemons from the heat, and squeeze out the juice.

17. Add the juice to the reserved olive oil mixture and whisk.

18. Using a heavy skillet, heat it over high flame and pour about 1 Tablespoon of olive oil into it.

19. Sear the fatty side of the roast in the olive oil.

20. Slice and serve with the lemon-olive oil sauce.