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Roast Pork Loin with Roasted Apple Compote

Adapted from Roasting: A Simple Art by Barbara Kafka (William Morrow, 1995).

Serves 6

Ingredients

2-1/4 lb boned and rolled pork loin (7 inches long)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
4 large (2 pounds) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and each cut into 8 wedges and tossed with lemon juice
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon canola or other neutral oil
1/2 cup heavy cream, optional
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, optional

Method

Place rack on second level from bottom of oven. Heat oven to 500F.

Place loin in a 14-x-12-x-2-inch roasting pan. Rub salt all over loin. Smear mustard over top of loin.

Roast the loan for a total of 50 minutes, or until meat reaches an internal temperature of 140F, as follows:
Roast for 20 minutes.
Move the loin around with a wooden spatula so it won't stick.
Roast 15 minutes more.
Add the apples coated with lemon juice, oil and collected juices.
Spread out around the loin.
Roast 10 minutes.
Turn apples gently.
Roast 10 minutes more.  The meat might still be slightly pink, but this is fine. Don't overcook the roast, or it will be dry and unappealing. The apples will be dark brown and have absorbed all the good juices.

Remove loin to a platter. Snip off strings. If using cream and mustard, combine and stir carefully in the apples. Let the meat rest 10 to 15 minutes before slicing. Carefully remove apples with a metal spatula and place around roast. Deglaze the pan just to clean it, as all the good bits are in the apples.