A Recipe for Rosemary Roasted Pork from Upstate Cook Colu Henry
This winter marks my first year anniversary with my husband, Chad Silver, as full-time Hudson, New York residents. We gave up our Brooklyn apartment last December, and other than a few momentary bouts of city melancholy (really just me), we haven’t looked back. What I’ve come to appreciate over the last 12 months is our close proximity to farmland and the incredible food community that surrounds it. Sometimes I want to pinch myself that we got so lucky.
This year, we joined the Sparrowbush Farm Winter CSA, which has quickly become the highlight of the darker and colder months. Every few weeks I am tasked with picking up and utilizing incredible produce, meat, dairy and eggs from just 15 minutes away, and I couldn’t be more pleased about it. I enjoy the roasting, and chopping, and simmering, and creatively finding ways to use up every last bit of food before it becomes pick-up time and the cycle starts again. My kitchen is always in motion.
It’s during these months that the preparation of comfort food truly becomes the comfort, as I’m usually (and hopefully) cooking for a crowd. This pork roast is extra special because the persimmons and fennel get the added benefit of caramelizing underneath the pork, balancing out their sweetness by nature of the salty drippings.
You want your pork to be at room temperature before it goes into the oven, so remove it from the fridge about 30 minutes before roasting. As long as the pork you’re working with is of the highest quality, it’s served pink and medium rare. If you’re so inclined, this dish would pair beautifully with Sundström’s Ashmead Kernel Cider.
Colu Henry is the author of the forthcoming cookbook Back Pocket Pasta, being published by Clarkson Potter in February 2017. Previously, she was the Director of Public Relations and then the Director of Special Projects at Bon Appétit. Her writing has appeared in Refinery29, Cherry Bombe, and Wine Enthusiast. She lives with her husband, Chad, and their dog, Josh, in Hudson, New York.
Ingredients:
6 persimmons, coarsely chopped
1 large fennel bulb, cored and coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
1 3-pound boneless pork loin
3 cloves garlic, crushed through a garlic press
2 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary
Recipe: Rosemary Roasted Pork with Persimmon and Fennel
Serves 6
Steps:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F degrees.
2. Prepare the persimmons and fennel: In the bottom of a large roasting pan, add the persimmons and fennel and toss with the olive oil and half of the salt.
3. Prepare the pork: In a bowl, stir together the rosemary and garlic with the remaining salt until it becomes paste-like. Spread all over the pork so it is evenly distributed.
4. Place pork fat side up on a roasting rack and roast for about 45–55 minutes. Check it occasionally to stir the vegetables and to make sure the meat is still tender and not drying out.
5. Remove the pork from the oven and move to a cutting board. Check the vegetables to make sure they have caramelized. If they haven’t, let them cook a few minutes more while the pork rests. Slice the meat, which should be pale pink in color, and serve over the roasted persimmon and fennel mixture.
