Roast Pork Loin with Garden Vegetables and Tomato-Eggplant Sauce
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless pork loin roast
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 large fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 large fresh sage sprigs
- 1 1/2 pounds eggplants approximately 2, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2 inch thick slices
- 6 similarly sized carrots peeled and halved lengthwise
- 1/2 pound green beans
- 1 1/4 pounds large vine-ripened tomatoes seeded and diced
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Arrange oven racks so top one is in center and lower one has enough room to slide in a baking pan. Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Place a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.
- Season pork roast with salt and pepper. When skillet is hot, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, sear roast for about 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Place 1 thyme sprig and 1 sage sprig on pork roast. Transfer pan to oven.
- Spray baking pan with olive oil. Add as much eggplant as will fit in a single layer. Transfer pan to oven and roast for about 10 minutes or until eggplant browns lightly on the bottom. Turn eggplant over and roast 10 minutes longer. Remove cooked eggplant from pan. Repeat with all remaining eggplant. Set aside eggplant to cool.
- Add carrots to baking pan and roast in oven 15 minutes, rotate and continue roasting until tender, approximately 15 more minutes.
- Meanwhile, steam green beans on stove for approximately 20 minutes, until tender.
- Meanwhile, dice cooled eggplant.
- Remove meat from oven when a thermometer inserted in center registers 145° F. Retaining juices in skillet, transfer pork to cutting board and tent to keep warm. Skim and discard as much fat as possible from pan juices. To juices in skillet add eggplant, tomatoes, and remaining 2 sprigs each thyme and sage. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and then reduce heat to simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring frequently with spoon and pressing on vegetables to blend them into a thick and chunky sauce for 12 to 15 minutes, or until vegetables break down and develop a sauce-like consistency. If necessary, add approximately 1 cup water.
- After meat has rested 10 - 15 minutes, slice and arrange on warm platter with carrots and beans. Keep warm.
- To sauce in skillet, add 2 tablespoons olive oil, reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 minutes. Season to taste with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, or to taste. Serve with sauce spooned over pork or passed separately.
Notes
A 3 pound pork loin takes approximately 1 hour at 375 degrees F.
A 6 pound pork loin takes approximately 3 hours at 350 degrees F.