Ingredients
2.5kg pork loin
2 tbsp salt
1 tbsp ground black pepper
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup fresh sage leaves
½ cup parsley leaves
¼ cup olive oil
Creamy buttery mash
750g nicola potatoes (or another yellow, waxy variety)
150ml cream (or more)
150g butter (or more)
Salt
Pepper
Cabbage apple and taragon salad
1 kg white cabbage, hard-core removed and very finely shredded
75 g of salt
1 Granny Smith apple, skin on, cored and sliced into thin matchsticks
½ cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
1 cup watercress sprigs
2 tablespoons snipped chives
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Recipe by Adrian Richardson
Photography by Kristoffer Paulsen
Method
1. Open out the pork loin and lay it, skin side down, on your work surface. Rub in
1 tablespoon of the salt and all the pepper then scatter on the garlic and fresh herbs. Roll the loin up into a log shape and tie securely with butcher’s string at 5cm intervals. You can prepare the pork to this stage up to 2 days in advance. The herbs and seasoning will permeate the flesh and add extra flavour.
2. When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 220°C and place the pork on a rack inside a large roasting tin. Rub all over with oil and season with the rest of the salt. Roast for 20 minutes then lower the temperature to 175°C and roast for 1 hour. The pork is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 72°C.
3. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and put them in a large saucepan of cold, salted water. Bring to the boil, then lower the heat and simmer until tender. This will take up to 50 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes. When the potatoes are cooked, tip them into a colander to drain.
4. Add the cream and butter to the hot saucepan. Push the hot potatoes through a mouli or potato ricer, straight onto the cream and butter. Beat with a spoon, season to taste.
5. Transfer the cooked pork to a hot dish and leave it to rest for 30 minutes in a warm spot. Remove the string and carve into slices, each with a crisp layer of crackling. Serve with creamy mash, salad and jus.
Cabbage apple and tarragon salad
1. Toss the cabbage with the salt in a large container. Cover with a damp tea towel and leave for 1–2 hours. You can leave it overnight, which will soften the cabbage even more.
2. Tip the cabbage into a colander and wash very thoroughly to remove the salt. Put the cabbage dry a transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the apple and fresh herbs and toss gently.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vinegar and oil. Pull onto the salad and tossed to combine. Season to taste and serve with hot roast pork.
Adrian’s note: At La Luna Bistro, we saw the cabbage overnight to take away the rawness and soften it a little bit. The end result is a bit like fresh sauerkraut.
Wine Match
Grenache or Chardonnay