Peppered Pork Loin with Beet and Leek Puree
- 4 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
- 4 medium beets (about 1 pound total), trimmed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
- vegetable-oil cooking spray
- a 1 1/2-pound pork loin
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 pound small boiling potatoes, scrubbed
- In a saucepan bring salted water to a boil for leeks.
- Trim and coarsely chop leeks.
- Wash leeks and drain in a colander.
- In saucepan of salted boiling water cook leeks until tender, about 4 minutes, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a blender, reserving cooking liquid.
- Trim beet stems to 1 inch if necessary and scrub beets.
- In a saucepan cover beets with salted water by 1 inch and simmer, covered, 35 to 45 minutes, or until tender.
- Reserve 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid.
- Drain beets in colander and cool just until they can be handled.
- Slip off beet skins and cut each beet into quarters.
- Add beets and reserved beet cooking liquid to leeks and puree with salt and pepper to taste.
- In cleaned pan heat puree, lemon juice, and vinegar over low heat, stirring and adding water if necessary to reach desired consistency, until hot.
- Keep sauce warm, covered.
- Preheat oven to 450 F. and lightly coat a non-stick skillet and a shallow baking pan with cooking spray.
- Pat pork dry and sprinkle 1 side with pepper and salt to taste.
- In skillet brown pork, seasoned side down first, over moderately high heat.
- Transfer pork, seasoned side up, to baking pan and roast in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 155 F.
- While pork is roasting, boil potatoes in reserved leek cooking liquid until tender, about 7 minutes, and drain.
- Let pork stand, covered with foil, 10 minutes and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
- Quarter potatoes and serve with pork.
- Drizzle some sauce around pork and serve remainder on side.
leeks, beets, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, vegetableoil cooking spray, pork loin, ground black pepper, boiling potatoes
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/peppered-pork-loin-with-beet-and-leek-puree-14093 (may not work)