Nutty brown butter, balanced with savory Dijon gravy, completes the pan sauce that elevates this roast. A bright splash of lemon juice and a shower of salty ricotta salata round out the Cavolo Nero side dish.
Recipe adapted from Food & Wine Magazine.
Recipe for Brown Butter- Basted Pork Rack with Garlic, Rosemary, and Dijon Gravy
For the Pork:
1 (3-lb.) 5 rib bone-in center-cut pork loin roast
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (4oz.)
5 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 rosemary sprig
For the Dijon Gravy:
1/4 cup chopped green onions, shallots, or mix of the two.
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken or veal stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley (optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Trim excess meat from bottoms of exposed rib bones on pork roast, and reserve for another use. Score fat on pork in a crosshatch pattern. Rub all sides of pork evenly with salt.
2. Place pork, fatty side down, in a large cast iron skillet; cook over medium-low, pushing pork down using a spatula or grill press to ensure even cooking, until fat renders and bottom side is browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Flip pork bone side down. Add butter to skillet; cook until foamy, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in smashed garlic and rosemary sprig. Tilt pan and baste butter over pork.
3. Transfer skillet to preheated oven. Roast until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of meat registers 130, 45-55 minutes, removing skillet to baste pork with butter mixture every 10 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Transfer pork to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; let rest 15 minutes.
4. Return butter mixture in skillet to stovetop; heat over medium-high heat. Add green onions, shallots, or mix of the two and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping browned bit off the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock, raise the heat, and boil pan juices to reduce by half, about 2 minutes. Add cream and boil 2 minutes more, until sauce reduces a bit, and thickens. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard and the parsley, if using. Taste and add more mustard if desired. Remove to gravy boat.
5. Slice pork between bones and arrange on a platter. Serve over cavolo nero and top pork with dijon gravy.
Recipe for Sautéed Cavolo Nero with Nut Butter and Ricotta Salata
1/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup hazelnuts
1/4 cup almonds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 (1 lb.) bunches cavolo nero (see Note)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp. fine sea salt or kosher salt
2 oz. ricotta salata cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325. Place walnuts, hazelnuts and almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in preheated oven until nuts are toasted, about 6 minutes.
2. Place toasted nuts and olive oil in a food processor; pulse until nuts are finely chopped and paste begins to form, about 10 pulses. Set nut butter aside.
3. Remove and discard stems from kale. Tear kale into bite-size pieces (about 20 cups). Heat a large Dutch oven over high. Add kale, and cook, stirring constantly, 10 seconds. Add 1/2 cup water and butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, until kale is just tender and still bright green, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with nut butter. Stir in lemon juice and salt. Transfer to a platter, and sprinkle with ricotta salata.
Make Ahead: Nut butter can be made up to 1 day ahead and stored in airtight container at room temperature.
Note: Cavolo Nero is also sold as Tuscan Lacinato, and Dinosaur Kale.