BRAISED PORK LOIN WITH PEARS

Braised Pork Loin with Pears image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Number Of Ingredients 14

2 tablespoons coarse salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch of ground allspice
1 boneless pork loin, about 2 pounds, tied
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 bay leaves
15 small orange, red, and yellow carrots, peeled, trimmed if desired
15 red pearl onions
10 small parsnips, trimmed and peeled
3 garlic cloves, crushed with the flat side of a large knife
6 red d'Anjou pears

Steps:

Combine salt and spices. Coat pork with the spice mixture, and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add oil. Add pork to pot. Sear pork until golden, turning with tongs, about 2 minutes per side. Stir in wine and bay leaves, scraping bottom of pot to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Partially cover, and simmer, basting meat with cooking liquid several times, 25 minutes. Remove pork from pot, and set aside.
Stir in carrots, onions, parsnips, and garlic. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes. Make a well in center; return pork to pot. Quarter and core pears (peel and leave some whole if desired). Add pears, and simmer until pears are tender and a meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 145 degrees for medium, about 15 minutes. Let rest in pot 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. Transfer the vegetables and pears to a platter with the sliced pork. Pour sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl; pour over pork.