ROASTED LOIN OF PORK WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND PORT WINE SAUCE

ROASTED LOIN OF PORK WITH BRAISED RED CABBAGE AND PORT WINE SAUCE image

Yield 6-8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 27

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Ingredients

for Port Wine Sauce:
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) unsalted butter
2 large shallots, trimmed, peeled, and chopped (2 tablespoons)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 cup ruby port
1 cup Brown Veal Stock
For pork loin:
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
1 tablespoons dried thyme
4 whole cloves
4 whole allspice, cracked
1 bay leaf
1 center-cut pork loin, rib bones left in (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)
1 head (1 pound) red cabbage, cored, split and cut into 1/4-inch slices
Freshly cracked black pepper
1 large onion (12 ounces), peeled and cut into1/2-inch-thick round slices
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, peeled and chopped(1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
8 fresh sage leaves, chopped fine
1 tablespoon drained capers
Prepare the Port Wine Sauce. In a small saucepan, over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Sauté the shallots until wilted, about 5 minutes. Pour in 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and cook until completely absorbed, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the port and cook until 1/2 cup remains, about 5 to 10 minutes. Add the stock and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer into a double boiler and keep warm.
Brine the pork:
Crack the allspice. In a kettle bring water to a boil and add allspice, salt, sugar, 2 tablespoons pepper, thyme, cloves, and bay leaf and simmer 15 minutes. Cool brine in bowl large enough to hold brine and pork. Chill brine for 2 hours.
Add pork, making sure it is completely covered with brine. Marinate, covered and chilled, at least 2 days or up to three.

Steps:

In a large stockpot, bring approximately 4 quarts of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water. Blanch the red cabbage for about 30 seconds in a strainer in the large stockpot. After blanching, plunge the strainer containing the cabbage in the ice water for about 30 seconds. Dry the cabbage with a towel and reserve. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Season the pork lightly with black pepper.In a large cast-iron skillet, over medium-high heat, brown the pork loin on all sides, about 10 to 15 minutes. When properly browned, remove the pork loin to a platter and reserve. Distribute the onion slices on the bottom of the cast-iron skillet and place the browned pork loin on top. Transfer to the oven and roast until the internal temperature of the pork is 150 degrees, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cast-iron skillet from the oven, transfer the pork loin from the skillet to a platter and let it rest in a warm spot. Scrape the bottom of the skillet to loosen any browned particles. Remove any burned onions. Sauté remaining onions over medium heat until caramelized, about 10 minutes, remove from the pan and reserve. In a large sauté pan, over high heat, preheat the vegetable oil. Add the garlic and blanched cabbage. Sauté until the cabbage is thoroughly heated through, but still crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and the caramelized onions from the cast-iron skillet, stir briefly, add the sage and capers, and season with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from the heat and keep warm. To serve, cut the pork loin into 1/2-inch-to-2-inch-thick slices with one bone in each slice. Place the cooked cabbage on a large warm platter. Arrange the slices of pork on the cabbage, ladle the sauce over, and serve immediately.