Pork and Pears

The idea of Pork and Pears came to me straight from the cover of the most recent Williams-Sonoma catalog. Oh if I could have space for more LeCreusets in almost all the colors! I have two seasonal teapots but to go from red to yellow to green with the cast iron?? That is luxury and really, in truth, needless luxury. but fun to think about

So, if you clicked that link above, you will see what the goal was. Ok, so I'm one of the women who Messes With the Recipe. You knew that. I had a pork roast in the freezer but not a boneless loin but the right size and shape. I had the Anjou pears (and isn't it great that they were 99c a lb last week???), onions instead of leeks which I had already cooked up over the weekend - the leeks i.e., but all the rest. Well, I had half and half instead of cream, but that was enough to up the caloric value imho. You get the picture of how I cook.

Here's that roast browned, with the browned pears, ready to go back into the LeCreuset and the oven.

Now the gravy is simmering away after adding the half and half.

Eh voila! (or eh viola! if you want a musical twist)the final dinner. Boy it was good if the cook says so herself. Now I remember why I like to cook. My adaptation of the recipe is here.

Williams-Sonoma Pork with Pears

ENTRÉE Adapted from Roast Pork with Pears via Williams-Sonoma

Here, a boneless pork loin is stuffed with a flavorful herb-and-garlic mixture, then roasted with fresh pears and leeks. A creamy mustard pan sauce adds the finishing touch to this succulent dish.



3/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup packed roughly chopped fresh sage,
plus whole sage leaves for roasting
3 whole garlic cloves, plus 2 cloves, minced
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 Tbs. olive oil
1 boneless pork loin roast, about 3 1/2 lb.,
halved horizontally (I had a pork roast that was not boneless but had a small bone on the bottom)
3 ripe red Anjou pears, halved lengthwise
4 leeks, white portions only, trimmed, halved
lengthwise and rinsed (I used regular onions)
2 tsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 Tbs. whole-grain mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used half and half)

Position a rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 400°F.

In a mini food processor, process the parsley, chopped sage, whole garlic, salt, pepper and 3 Tbs. of the olive oil until a fine paste forms. Spread the mixture on the cut side of one half of the pork loin, then place the other half on top. Tie the roast together with kitchen twine and tuck whole sage leaves underneath the twine. Season the roast with salt and pepper.

In a 5 1/2-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the remaining 2 Tbs. olive oil. Add the pears, cut side down, and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the pork to the pot and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate. Place the leeks, cut side down, in the pot in a single layer. Set the pork on top and place the pears along the sides of the pot.

Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pork registers 140°F, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer the pork to a carving board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. Transfer the leeks and pears to a platter.

Pour the pan drippings into a bowl and discard all but 2 tsp. of the fat. Warm the reserved fat in the pot over medium-high heat. Add the minced garlic and flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 30 seconds. Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add the broth and pan drippings and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the mustard and cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the pork into slices and arrange on the platter. Pass the sauce alongside. Serves 8 to 10.

adapted from originalWilliams-Sonoma Kitchen