Roast pork loin with apple and cherry sauce

We have been festive Christmas orphans on most years. With no family in Australia, we usually spend the Christmas holidays with other festive orphans. It was no difference this year. A small group of us decided to have Christmas Eve dinner at Hwaro. But before we headed to Hwaro, a few of us were hanging out at our place having Martinis. To add to our festive mood, we had bottles of soju and beers during dinner. So my grand plan for my Christmas dinner was slowly slipping after one soju at a time.

Martini prep

Korean, soju and beers

After a night of over-indulgence and partying, I was feeling very sorry for myself. My initial plan of rolling the pork loin in spiced Indian spinach (Malabar spinach) and cherries was canned. And I ended up just seasoning the pork with black pepper and salt. To add to my woe, my meat thermometer was mising. It was a beautiful piece of rolled pork loin from The Gypsy Pig and I did not want to run into the risk of having a dry roast. I took the advice of @stickifingers to use a small knife and poke it through the meat and if the juice runs clear, the pork is ready.

Pork before roasting

Ingredients:

Roast pork loin

• 1.5kg rolled pork loin
• Salt & pepper
• Olive oil

Roasted pork loin

Method:

1. Make silts on skin of the pork loin. Rub pork loin with 1 tbsp of olive oil and generous salt and pepper seasoning
2. Rub salt and pepper into the silts of the pork loin
3. Place pork loin into pre-heated 260°C oven for 40mins
4. Lower temperature to 160°C and place in oven between 60 – 80 mins or until meat thermometer reaches 155F
5. Allow it to rest for at least 20mins before serving

Roasted apples

Ingredients:

Apple & Cherry sauce

• 6 medium apples cored and cubed (Granny smiths were preferred but not in season so I was recommended to use juicing apples instead. It worked really well.  A little tart and sweet.)
• 300 – 350 grams of pitted cherries
• 2 tbsp of apple balsamic vinegar
• 2 finely chopped shallots
• 2 tbsp of brown sugar
• 3 star anise
• 1 tsp of cinnamon powder
• 1 cup of water
• Pinch of salt

Cherries and apples in a pot

Cherry and apple sauce done

Method:

1. Roast the apples in the oven at 200°C for about 30-5 mins. Skin, core and cube the apples and set aside
2. Pit the cherries and finely chop the shallots and add them into the pot whole with the apples and chuck it on the stove at medium heat.
3. Add water, sugar, star anise, balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and stir slowly at a low heat for at least 30mins
4. The mixture does not turn mushy and does hold its shape. Add more sugar if required
5. Set aside while prepping a simple carrots and baby peas side dish

I made the simple carrots and peas by boiling the carrots in heavily salted water. I added the frozen peas into the boiling water for about 30secs and drain the vegetables. Place a knob of butter and a touch of olive oil and coat the vegetables in the pot. Season well and serve it with the whole dish.

Simple roasted pork loin with carrots and peas and cherry apple sauce

Having to make Christmas dinner with a bad hangover was not pleasant. But having a great piece of meat meant that I could keep it really simple and it still tasted good. And what is Christmas without a hangover? Merry Christmas to everyone