ROAST PORK NORMANDY

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 2 Quarts Water
• 6 Bay Leaves
• 3/4 Cup Kosher Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Black Peppercorns , cracked
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons ground Cloves
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons ground Ginger
• 1 1/2 Cups Honey
• 1 1/2 Cups Maple Syrup , pure is best
• 2 Pounds Pork Loin roast , with ribs attached, one rib per person
• 1/4 Cup Calvados (French Brandy)
• 1 Cup Chicken Broth
• 1 Cup Whipping Cream
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 2 Golden Delicious Apples , peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges
• 1/2 Pound Mushroom , trimmed, sliced
• 1 Tablespoon fresh Chives , finely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the Water, Bay Leaves, Salt, crushed Peppercorns, Cloves and Ginger in a Dutch oven; heat to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to a simmer; stir in the Honey
and Maple Syrup. Remove from heat; set aside to cool to room temperature, about 45 minutes. Add the Pork Loin to the brine; place a clean, heavy container or kitchen weight on the pork to keep it submerged. Cover the pan and refrigerate 5-8 hours.

Heat the oven to 450° transfer the roast from the brine to a roasting rack in a roasting pan; roast until cooked through but still slightly pink inside or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the roast reads 150 degrees, 50-60
minutes. Transfer the roast to a carving board; cover with foil to keep it warm.

Remove the rack from the pan; pour off excess fat. Place the pan over medium heat. Add the Calvados French Brandy; cook, stirring and scraping, 1 minute. Stir in the Broth; cook, stirring, 2
minutes. Stir in the Cream. Raise heat to medium-high; heat to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour through a fine-meshed strainer into a bowl. Cover; keep warm.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the Butter in a large skillet; add the Apple wedges. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 7-10 minutes; remove to a bowl. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of the Butter to the skillet; add the Mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir the Mushrooms into the strained sauce; adjust the seasonings, if needed.

Slice the Roast Pork into 1/2-inch thick pieces; spoon the sauce onto serving plates. Arrange the meat slices, overlapping, on top of the sauce; garnish with Apples. Sprinkle
with Chives.

Note: Periodically add a little water to the bottom of the roasting pan. With the high oven temperature, the drippings tend to burn. If the drippings burn, it's tougher to make
the gravy.