Mini Pork Rack with Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans

By jannycerv

If you have a good butcher, ask him for a rack of two pork chops, with the bones Frenched (meat trimmed from the ends of the bones) and the vertebrae removed. It's a good way to give the roast an elegant look. The secret to juicy roast pork loin is cooking it rare and allowing a long resting time.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus sprigs for garnishing
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 rack of two pork loin chops (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 12 ounces (about 2 large) red-skin potatoes, sliced into 1/2-inch thick rounds
• 8 ounces green beans, stem ends removed

Details

Adapted from myrecipes.com

Preparation

Step 1

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and parsley. Reserve 2 tablespoons, and spread the remaining mixture over the pork rack. Place the pork on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until ready to use, up to 24 hours.

Heat oven to 450°. Heat a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over high heat. Using tongs to turn, brown the pork well on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. On one side of the pork, spread the potatoes in a single layer. Brush the potatoes with the reserved rosemary mixture. Pile the green beans on the other side of the pork and turn them to coat with the fat from the skillet.

Place skillet in oven. Roast for 10 minutes. Using tongs, turn the potatoes and green beans, and season with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for 10 to 15 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of a chop reads 165°.

Transfer the potatoes and green beans to a heat-proof bowl, cover, and place on top of the stove to keep warm. Transfer the pork to a plate, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and allow to rest 20 to 30 minutes.

Using a sharp knife, slice in between the bones of the pork rack to create two chops. Place the chops on a platter with the potatoes and green beans on the side. Spoon some of the pan juices over the pork and garnish with sprigs of rosemary. Serve with a medium-bodied red wine.