Pork Loin in the Egg

Wine:

Coenobium Vendemmia 2006
Mea Culpa Ranina 2005
Rose de Loire NV
Edizione Pennion 2004 Rutherford-Napa Valley Zinfandel

We decided to buy a smoker and do some serious smoking. We purchased a large ceramic egg. The walls are an inch thick and it holds the heat (and smoke) and moisture while the meat slowly cooks. It is very different from a traditional Weber made of metal (and mucho heavier).

For our first attempt at using it, we invited Bea over. We knew should would be forgiving of any problems and we would have plenty of wine to drink if things went badly.

Bottom Line as they like to say. It worked perfectly. We cooked: Herb-Crusted Pork Loin Roast from License to Grill by Chris Schlesinger. It was delicious and moist and smoky and tender!

We started with Grilled Bread (on a Panini maker) topped with Burrata and Pesto.
We knew Bea loved Farro (as we do) and we made a delicious Roasted Beet Farritto from The Babbo Cookbook. The beets at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market are very sweet right now.

Once again for dessert we had those great Ginger Cookies from The Cheese Store of Silverlake.



ROASTED BEET FARROTTO
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Adapted from "The Babbo Cookbook" by Mario Batali (Clarkson Potter, 2002)
Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
1 bunch beets, about a pound, scrubbed
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups farro, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses or saba, unfermented boiled-down grape must (sold in specialty food shops)
1/2 cup brown chicken stock or half chicken, half beef stock
Parmigiano-reggiano, for grating.
1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Trim tops off beets, drizzle with oil, and season with salt and pepper. Wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil and roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Cool.
2. Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil. Add farro and cook until just tender, about 20 minutes.
3. While farro cooks, peel beets, cut in two and slice in half-moons 1/4-inch thick. Place in a bowl and toss with pomegranate molasses or saba.
4. Drain farro, and place in a skillet with stock. Add sliced beets, and toss over high heat until most of the stock is absorbed and farro is tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve, topped with grated cheese.
Yield: 4 to 6 first-course servings.





Herb-Crusted Pork Loin Roast
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From License to Grill

1 cup roughly chopped mixed fresh herbs: and combination of parsley, thyme, sage, rosemary, basil, oregano, and / or marjoram

¼ cup minced garlic

1 to 2 tablespoons red pepper flakes, depending on your taste for heat (we used ½ teaspoons)

¼ cup freshly cracked black pepper

¼ cup olive oil
1 – 3 to 4 pound bone-in center-cut pork loin roast, chine bone removed


Build a fire in the grill and arrange to cook via indirect heat.
In a small bowl mix all ingredients and rub the pork loin generously with the herb mixture.

Cook covered trying to keep the heat in the covered grill at about 225 to 280 degrees. Cook 2 ½ hours to 3 hours until the internal temperature of the meat is about 150 degree.