Roast Loin of Pork
with Mike’s Sticky Onions & Mustard Spaetzle
3 lb boneless pork loin
1 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp butter
Preheat oven to 400F.
Score the fat on the pork roast in a diamond pattern. Rub butter onto roast – this will help the herbs, salt and pepper to stick. Sprinkle with the aforementioned herbs, salt and pepper.
Roast for 40 – 50 minutes or until your meat thermometer registers 145◦F for medium doneness; 165◦F for well done. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Sticky Onions:
8 Spanish or sweet onions
½ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 bottle hard apple cider or beer
2 Tbsp cider vinegar
½ tsp ground cardamom
salt & pepper to taste
Melt butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the onions and cook for 15 minutes, stirring often. Turn the heat down to low and add the remaining ingredients. Continue to cook for one hour, stirring occasionally. Onions will become a lovely rich brown colour.
Spaetzle:
1 Cup all purpose flour
2 tsp grainy mustard
3 eggs
1 tsp salt
Pinch ground pepper
2 Tbsp butter
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Mix well using a wooden spoon (or use your stand-up mixer with the paddle attachment). Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add salt. Transfer the batter into a squeeze bottle (empty honey bottles are great for this). Reduce heat to a medium simmer.
Squeeze a quarter of the batter into the pot in a squiggly motion and cook until the batter floats to the surface. Continue to cook for a further 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the spaetzle into a bowl of cold water and repeat the process until all the batter is used up. Strain and drain the cooked spaetzle.
Heat a large sauté pan over high heat and add the butter. When the butter foams, add the spaetzle and fry until it begins to brown and puff up – 5-8 minutes, tossing occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
The Good Wine 2009 Pinot Noir
Serve carved pork loin alongside onions and spaetzle and a bottle of The Good Wine 2009 Pinot Noir.
This recipe will feed 6, with leftovers.
Reprinted from The Good Earth Food and Wine Co. cookbook: The Good Book