Roast pork loin with mustard and thyme
Roast pork loin smothered with mustard and fresh thyme is served with asparagus cooked in a special vinaigrette.
Servings 6 people
Ingredients
- 800 grams pork loin (1.76 pounds) with a thin layer of fat one one side (not tenderloin!)
- 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil divided
- salt
- pepper
- 1 tablespoon dried rosemary leaves or twice as much if using fresh
- 2 to 3 tablespoons prepared mustard
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- 300 grams baby asparagus (a little over half a pound)
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Instructions
Roast the pork
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Rub the pork loin generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat about two tablespoonfuls of olive oil in a pan, add the pork, fat side down, sprinkle with the rosemary, and cook until lightly browned. Roll the pork in the hot oil for even browning.
- Transfer the pork to a rack set over a baking dish (to catch drippings).
- Take the oil in the pan (with the rosemary) and brush all over the browned pork.
- Roast in a preheated 375F oven for 20 minutes.
- When the pork is almost done, strip the thyme leaves off the stalks and chop the leaves.
- Take out the pork out of the oven and place on a cutting board.
- Spread the mustard evenly all over the hot meat and press the thyme evenly into the mustard.
- Cover the pork loosely with a foil tent and allow to rest.
Cook the asparagus
- In a bowl, whisk together the garlic and balsamic vinegar.
- Pour in the about two to three tablespoons of olive oil in a slow thin stream while whisking continuously.
- Heat a tablespoonful or so of olive oil in a frying pan and add the baby asparagus in a single layer.
- Cook, tossing or stirring lightly, to coat each spear with oil (baby asparagus will cook in five minutes or less; larger spears will cook in 10).
- Drizzle a few tablespoonfuls of the vinaigrette and cook a few seconds longer.
Assemble the dish
- Transfer the asparagus, with the liquids, on one side of the serving platter.
- Cut the roast pork into about ¾ inch slices.
- Arrange the pork slices beside the asparagus.
- Drizzle all the remaining vinaigrette all over the pork.
