Roast Pork with Sage, Corn, and Potatoes

Makes 6 servings or more

(There is no need to use a cover for this casserole dish.)

Fresh Hagerman corn is still on my mind and I did note that on sale and for a good price in our markets was pork loin roast, so here you go:

Ingredients:

2 Tblsp. minced garlic (fresh is better)

2 Tblsp. minced fresh sage leaves (fresh is definitely better but you can use 2 tsp. dried sage if fresh is not within your realm)

1 onion sliced thin (optional)

S&P to taste

3-4       medium sized peeled baking potatoes cut into 1-inch cubes

1 or 2 ears of corn-kernels cut off from fresh husks or frozen kernels if necessary

2 Tblsp. plus some- olive oil

1 (3-4 pound) pork loin, bone in or 1 (2-3) boneless roast

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, mix the garlic, fresh sage, and S&P.
3. Place potatoes, (thinly sliced onion-optional), and corn in a Pam sprayed oven proof dish large enough to hold the pork as well. Toss the potato/corn mixture with 2 Tblsp. olive oil and about 1 tsp. of the garlic-sage mix.
4. Place the dish with the potato/corn mixture in the 425 degree oven while you prepare the pork.
5. With a thin-bladed knife make slits all over the pork and then, with YOUR FINGERS, insert most of the remaining garlic-sage mixture.
6. Take the hot dish with the potato/corn mixture out of the oven and nestle pork into the mixture.  Pour a bit more of the olive oil over the roast and then spread the rest of the garlic-sage mixture over the roast.
7. Place roast nestled in the potato/corn mixture in the 425 degree oven for 25 minutes.
8. Turn oven down to 325 degrees and remove dish from the oven; gently with tongs remove the pork roast to a platter; stir the potato/ corn mixture in the dish because some of it may be sticking to the bottom; and replace roast nestled in the potato/corn mixture. You can pour a little more olive oil on top of roast if it looks a bit dry or if there are pan juices, baste the pork with them.
9. Replace roast dish in the 325 degree oven and continue to cook for about 3/4 hour more.  Start checking the meat by sticking an instant-read thermometer.  It should register 145 to 150 degree F when done.  Don’t let the roast over cook. Pork tends to dry out rapidly.
10. When you think that the pork is just about done, take the roast out and place on a warm platter.  Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
11. In the meantime look at your potato/corn mixture and test to see if everything is done. I bet it will be. Add 2 or 3 tsp. of red wine vinegar and stir well. If the mixture needs to brown crisp a bit more, turn up the oven or even turn on the broiler and let brown/crisp then.  Once again, watch carefully that it won’t crisp too much.
12. I serve my roast on a pretty platter surrounded by the potato mixture and edged with thinly sliced tomatoes and some parsley to add more color. Tomato goes with this very nicely.
13. A crisp white wine will go perfectly with this dish.  Bon Appetit.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.