Pork Loin with Apples and Onions (get PDF)

 INGREDIENTS

For the pork loin:

1 (3- to 4-pound) boneless pork loin roast
4 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tart-sweet medium apples, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, quartered
1 large onion, cut into eighths
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 fresh rosemary sprigs
2 fresh sage sprigs
1/4 cup maple syrup

For the green apple sauce:

1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored and quartered
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh mint leaves
3/4 teapsoon finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS
1 Heat the oven: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.

2 Make garlic paste: Cut off the stem end of the garlic cloves. Coarsely chop the garlic, then sprinkle with the salt.
Hold the blunt side of the knife with both hands, angle the knife slightly, and scrape the pile of garlic and salt to flatten.
Use the knife to create a small garlic and salt pile, then press and scrape again. Repeat this process a few more times
until you have a smooth paste. Sprinkle the pepper over the paste.

3 Trim the silverskin from the pork loin (if needed) and rub with garlic paste. Leave the fat cap intact.
Rub the garlic paste evenly over all sides of the pork loin. Set aside at room temperature for 30
minutes or refrigerate for up to 1 day.

4 Brown the pork loin on all sides: Heat the oil in a 10- to 12-inch cast iron pan or stainless steel straight-sided
skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork and sear on all sides until it's deep golden-brown and
easily releases from the pan, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Once all 4 sides have browned, transfer the pork loin to a plate.

5 Add the butter, onion, apples, and herbs to the pan: Turn off the heat, but keep the skillet on the stove. Scatter
the apples, onion, butter, rosemary, and sage around the pan. Drizzle with the maple syrup.

6 Return the pork loin and any juices to the pan: Nestle the browned pork loin on top of the onion, apples, and
herbs, and pour in any accumulated juices from the plate.

7 Roast the pork loin for 1 hour: Roast the pork loin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part
of the pork reads 145°F, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, make the green apple sauce.

8 Make the green apple sauce while the pork roasts: Place the Granny Smith apple, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic,
mint, sage, parsley, rosemary, and salt in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until
finely chopped, 12 to 14 pulses, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse
again until incorporated.

9 Rest the pork loin for 20 minutes: Remove the pan from the oven and transfer the pork to a clean cutting board.
Let the pork loin rest for 20 minutes.

10 Slice the pork loin and serve with onion, apples, pan sauce, and green apple sauce: Slice the pork loin
crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick slices. Serve the sliced pork with the onion and apple pieces. Drizzle with some of the pan
drippings and the green apple sauce.