Life at Willow Manor

You might have noticed the mention of this wonderful peppercorn
roasted pork on my sidebar. Oh. My. Gosh. It was so delicious!
We've been enjoying the benefits of leftovers all week. The savory
synchronicity of the vermouth sauce and the aromatic pink
peppercorns is fabulous. I served it with sugar snap peas and
potatoes with parsley pesto.

Peppercorn Roasted Pork with Vermouth Pan Sauce

6 Tbsp pink peppercorns divided
2 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 1/2 Tbsp fennel seeds
7 cloves garlic minced
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 five pound pork shoulder roast, butt end (as you see, I didn't have
shoulder roast on hand, and used a leaner loin roast instead)
1/2 cup dry vermouth
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tbsp unsalted butter softened
1 Tbsp flour

Grind 1/4 cup pink peppercorns with black peppercorns and fennel
seeds in electric coffee or spice grinder, then stir together with garlic,
oil and 1 Tbsp salt.

Pat pork dry and use a paring knife to make 1 inch deep slits all over
the roast. Stuff slits with all but 1 Tbsp of the paste, then rub
remaining all over the roast. Marinate chilled 8 to 24 hours.

Let pork stand at room temperature 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350.
Roast pork, fat side up until meat registers 150 F, about 1 1/2 to 2
hours. Transfer to cutting board and let rest for 30 minutes.


Meanwhile, pour off all but about 1 Tbsp fat from roasting pan. Add
vermouth to pan and boil, scraping up the brown bits, 2 minutes. Stir
in broth, any juice from cutting board and boil until reduced to about
1 1/2 cups, about 5 minutes. Knead together butter and flour, then
whisk into sauce and boil, whisking constantly until just thickened.
Serve pork with sauce and prepare for mmm-mmm-mmm-mmm!!

(Notice the Blue Willow? Julia Child would approve.)

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recipe from September 2009 issue of Gourmet