Center Cut Pork Roast - Peppercorn Elegance

I think that this may have been the most beautiful of dishes.  Leave it to Ina Garten of the Food Network to provide a recipe found here that not only tasted absolutely amazing, but delighted the eyes as well.  Everything about this meal was over-the-top good.  The kitchen smelled like a fine French restaurant.  The dining room looked elegant with the bone-in roast.  And yours truly feasted on a meal that no doubt will be repeated soon and often.  It seems as though I keep saying to certain friends that (in a way) I'm looking forward to my 61 Paulina cut quest to be over.  Not that I'm not enjoying it (because I have loved every minute of it), but because I'm anxious to re-make some of the ones I've loved so much.  Well, add another one to the list.

This all started with some expertise at Paulina Market.  Tim (a.k.a. the man) hooked me up with some preparation on the center cut pork roast, prepping and tying for optimal ease and presentation.  I took home a roughly 3+ lb center cut pork roast (4 ribs), and commenced my preparation.  I made a paste of olive oil, dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, ground fennel seed (busted out the mortar and pestle for that one), Kosher salt and cracked pepper.  I rubbed that paste all over the loin, placed it fat side up in a roasting pan, and roasted it at 400 degrees until the center was at 140 degrees.  I will say that 140 is playing it quite safe, as there was barely any pink at the roast's center.  With the opportunity to do it again, I'd go with 135, maybe even 130.  But delicious regardless to be sure.  After taking the roast out, I tented it under tinfoil on a cutting board, and took the roasting pan and all its juices on to the stove top, adding butter, flour, white wine, chicken stock, dijon and whole grain mustards and green peppercorns in brine (drained) and brought it to a boil, and then lit simmer for roughly 10 minutes to let it thicken.  I then carved the roast, set it in a serving bowl and poured the sauce over it.  Served it with a side of spicy potatoes, and we had ourselves a meal.  Not to overlook the rest of the white wine (can't let wine go to waste when you use only 1/2 cup for cooking), and this was a meal now on the repeat list.

56 down, 5 to go!