This pork roast could easily be assembled the day before you plan to serve it. I served it with brussel sprouts, roasted in the same pan and mashed potatoes. It would be delicious served with polenta or squash puree as well.
Ingredients
2 medium Red Onions, sliced
1 bulb Fennel, sliced
½ c. Walnuts, chopped
2# Pork Loin Roast
¼# Pancetta, thinly sliced
Fresh Rosemary
Fresh Sage
1 c. Apple Cider
3 Apples, cut into wedges
2 small White Onions, halved
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Butter
Instructions
Heat 1 Tbsp. butter and 1 Tbsp. olive oil together over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and fennel, season with salt and pepper, and caramelize slowly over low heat, about 2 hours, stirring occassionally. Add 1 tsp. chopped rosemary and walnuts towards the end and season as neccesary.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Roll cut pork loin to create a rectangle. Pound to even thickness and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Spread flattened pork with onion-fennel mixture and roll.
Cover rolled pork loin with slightly overlapping slices of pancetta and secure with cooking twine. Tuck sprigs of sage and rosemary under twine.
Place apple wedges and halved white onions (and brussel sprouts, if desired) in roasting pan.
Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and brown pork evenly on all sides, about 10 minutes.
Place browned pork over apples and onions.
Pour apple cider into skillet and bring to boil, scraping up brown bits. Pour in roasting pan.
Roast pork about 1 hour, until internal temperature reaches 140°.
Remove roast, apples, onions, and brussel sprouts from pan and tent under foil for half hour before slicing and serving.
While pork is resting, strain pan juices, skim fat from top, and reduce in small sauce pan. Remove from heat and finish with 1 Tbsp. butter.
Recipe by strawberryplum at http://www.strawberryplum.com/pork-roulade-with-caramelized-fennel-onions/