Honey Dijon Roasted Pork Loin with Cider Cream Sauce

[kirra]

Honey Dijon Roasted Pork Loin with Cider Cream Sauce
Ron Berg

For a variation, try the honey-mustard glaze with grilled salmon, or let it stand alone on the pork if you haven't got time for the sauce.

Ingredients:

1 (2-1/2-to 3-lb.) boneless pork loin roast
3 T. Dijon mustard
1-1/2 T. honey
Salt and pepper
1 T. chopped carrot
2 T. chopped celery
2 T. chopped onion
4 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped
1/2 medium onion, minced
2 T. apple brandy
1/2 c. chicken stock
1 c. apple cider or juice
3 T. butter
3 T. flour
1/4 c. heavy cream

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

In small bowl, combine mustard and honey. Spread heavily over all sides of pork. Season with pepper and salt. In bottom of a roasting pan, spread carrot, celery, onion, and 1 chopped apple.

Place pork in pan and put into oven, immediately reducing heat to 325 degrees. Roast 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until the thickest part of the roast has reached 140 degrees. Remove from oven and place on a carving board. Cover with foil and let sit for 30 minutes.

Reserve juice in roasting pan to make the sauce. While roast is cooking, puree 3 apples in a food processor. In medium saucepan, combine onion, pureed apples, chicken stock, and apple cider. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain contents of pan through a fine strainer, pressing down hard to extract juices.

Set aside. In small saucepan, melt butter over low heat and whisk in flour. Whisk for 1 minute, then remove from heat and set aside. While roast is resting, pour off excess fat from roasting pan and place pan over medium-high heat. Add apple brandy and strained apple liquid. Deglaze the pan, scraping up crusty bits from the bottom.

Strain into a large saucepan and whisk in butter-flour mixture to thicken. Slowly whisk in cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in any juices that have accumulated around pork roast and heat thoroughly. Strain sauce into a gravy boat or serving bowl. Slice pork and serve topped with cider cream sauce. Serves 6.