PORK RIB ROAST WITH APPLES, FENNEL, AND POTATOES

Pork Rib Roast with Apples, Fennel, and Potatoes image

A French-cut rib roast is festive and regal, especially when encrusted with herbs and served on a bed of caramelized apples, fennel, onions, and baby potatoes. A sweet tip: Use cipollini onions if you can, and don't peel them. Their skins act like steamer jackets, so they get incredibly tender.

Provided by Greg Lofts

Categories Pork Recipes

Time 4h5m

Yield Serves 8 to 12

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

1 bone-in pork rib roast (8 ribs; 6 to 7 pounds, depending on size), frenched, fat cap trimmed to 1/4 inch thick
Kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup Dijon mustard, plus more for serving
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves, plus 3 sprigs
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
2 tablespoons fennel seeds, crushed
1 1/2 pounds small potatoes (golf-ball-size), such as red bliss or fingerling
1 pound unpeeled cipollini onions, or 2 medium Vidalia onions, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
3 small fennel bulbs (about 1 pound), trimmed and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
4 sweet-tart baking apples, such as Braeburn or Honeycrisp (1 3/4 pounds)

Steps:

Score rib-roast fat cap with the tip of a paring knife in opposite directions, to create a 1/2-inch crosshatch. Prick roast all over with knife tip at approximately 1-inch intervals, about 1 inch deep. Generously season with salt and pepper, rubbing it into meat with your hands. In a bowl, stir together mustard, soy sauce, chopped rosemary, and coriander and fennel seeds.
Rub mixture all over pork. Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours, or loosely cover and refrigerate up to 1 day (return to room temperature at least 1 hour before roasting).
Preheat oven to 450°F. In a saucepan, combine potatoes and enough cold water to fully submerge them. Bring to a boil. Season with 1 tablespoon salt and boil until tender and easily pierced with the tip of a knife, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain and let cool slightly. Using a flattened palm or the bottom of a measuring cup, flatten potatoes slightly (but keep them intact).
Transfer potatoes to a large roasting pan with onions and fennel. Toss with 2 tablespoons oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread in a single layer. Scatter rosemary sprigs over vegetables. Place marinated pork in center of pan, atop vegetables.
Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile, core and quarter apples and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Scatter apples into pan and continue cooking until vegetables are tender and a thermometer inserted in center of roast registers at least 135°F, 1 hour, 15 minutes to 1 hour, 45 minutes more, depending on size.
Transfer pork to a carving board, loosely cover, and let stand 20 minutes; discard rosemary. Turn oven off and return vegetables to oven to keep warm. Carve pork and serve with vegetables and more mustard.