PORK LOIN WITH LEMON AND FRIED SAGE LEAVES

Pork Loin With Lemon And Fried Sage Leaves image

Provided by Moira Hodgson

Time 45m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

2 loins of pork, 2 1/2 pounds each
Apple cider or cranberry juice to cover (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup coarse sea salt
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1 cup dry white wine
2 lemons, sliced
Large bunch fresh sage leaves
About 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Steps:

Put the pork loins in a shallow, nonreactive dish and pour on enough cider to cover them. Add the rosemary leaves, thyme, cinnamon stick, bay leaves and salt. Mix well and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours, turning the loins two or three times.
Remove the pork loins from the cider brine and pat them dry with paper towels. Season them with salt and pepper and brown them on all sides on a preheated grill or in a heavy cast-iron pan or casserole on top of the stove.
Heat the olive oil and sauté the onions and garlic in a heavy casserole big enough to hold the loins (if you browned the pork on top of the stove, you can use the same casserole. It must have a tight-fitting lid). Add the rosemary and white wine and bring to a boil, scraping up the cooking juices. Add the loins and lemon slices, cover and roast for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. If the liquid evaporates too quickly, add a little water. The pork is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees. Remove the casserole from the oven and allow the pork to cool in the cooking juices.
Meanwhile, fry the sage leaves a few at a time in the vegetable oil. Drain them on paper towels and sprinkle them with sea salt.
Remove the pork loins from the cooking juices and cut them in thin slices. If necessary, boil down the cooking juices so they coat the back of a spoon, like a glaze. Arrange the pork on a serving platter and trickle the cooking juices in a line down the center of the slices. Garnish with the lemon slices. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and keep it in a cool place (not the refrigerator) if you are eating it within a few hours. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle with the sage leaves.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 681, UnsaturatedFat 31 grams, Carbohydrate 17 grams, Fat 45 grams, Fiber 2 grams, Protein 45 grams, SaturatedFat 11 grams, Sodium 1096 milligrams, Sugar 11 grams, TransFat 0 grams