This is a great dish that pairs well with sides such as butternut squash, sweet potatoes, or even roasted turnips.
Active preparation time: 25 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4–8
Pork Loin
2 cup walnut halves or pieces
4 Tbs fresh sage
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tbs (1 fl oz/30 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 pork loin
Kosher salt
Black pepper
Heat a dry sauté pan over medium heat. Add the walnut pieces and toast lightly. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the toasted walnuts, sage, garlic, and olive oil. Pulse 3 times for 3 seconds each time.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Season the pork loin with salt and pepper. Generously coat the pork loin with the walnut crust, being sure to really press the coating into the meat.
Place the pork loin on a rack in a roasting pan and roast for 35–40 minutes. An instant-read thermometer should read 145°F (63°C) before you remove the pork loin from the oven. Let the pork loin rest for 8–10 minutes before carving.
Apple Chutney
4 green apples, peeled, cored, and diced
4 Tbs (½ stick) unsalted butter
1½ cup (12 fl oz/355 ml) hard cider
Pinch of salt
While the pork is roasting, in a large heavy-bottom skillet over medium-high heat, cook the apples in the butter until the apples begin to caramelize. Add the hard cider and salt and continue cooking until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.
To serve, slice the pork loin and top with the Hard Cider Apple Chutney.
Cider Suggestions: Angry Orchard Muse (Cincinnati, Ohio), Moa Apple Cider (Blenheim, New Zealand), Foggy Ridge First Fruit (Dugspur, Virginia).
PHOTO: CHRISTOPHER CINA