Italian Pork Roast with Milk and Fresh Herbs and Lemony Polenta
Pork roast is slowly braised in milk with fresh rosemary, sage and porcini mushrooms. The meat becomes tender and succulent while the milk turns into a delicious sauce that has a nutty like flavor.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 655kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pork loin roast 3-4lb. or 1 pork sirloin tip roast (2-3 lb.) seasoned with salt and black pepper
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
- ½ cup dry white wine we used Pinot Grigio
- 1 ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 ½ oz. dried porcini mushrooms reconstituted in warm water, chopped **
- 1 teaspoon anchovy paste
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- Minced zest of one lemon
- 2 sprigs each fresh rosemary and sage tied with kitchen string.
LEMONY POLENTA
- 2 cups chicken broth low-sodium
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup Parmesan grated
- 2 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest minced
- salt q.b.
- black pepper q.b.
Instructions
- Heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until butter melts. Add pork, fat side down, and sear until brown, 3-4 minutes. Brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes more; transfer to a 4- to 6-qt. slow cooker. Add garlic to skillet; cook 30 seconds.
- Deglaze skillet with wine, scraping up any brown bits. Add milk, cream, porcini, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, and zest; simmer 3 minutes. Pour milk mixture around pork in slow cooker; submerge rosemary and sage. Cover slow cooker and cook pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part register 145 degrees F on low setting, 2 hours. Transfer pork to a platter and tent with foil to keep warm. Discard rosemary and sage.
- Purée sauce in the slow cooker with a handheld blender until smooth; season with salt and black pepper.
- Slice pork and serve with sauce and Lemony Polenta.
LEMONY POLENTA
- Whisk together the broth, buttermilk, and cornmeal in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, and cook, whisking constantly, about 5 minutes; remove from heat.
- Stir in Parmesan, butter, and zest; season with salt and pepper.
Notes
- ** Save the porcini broth for later use by pouring the juice through a coffee filter to remove any impurities.
- We had leftover polenta that we sliced and browned in a heavy iron skillet with a little olive oil and butter.
- Adapted from Cuisine at Home February 2014 issue.
Nutrition
Serving: 8g | Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 218mg | Sodium: 545mg | Potassium: 1381mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 600IU | Vitamin C: 5.6mg | Calcium: 190mg | Iron: 2.4mg