Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel

Ingredients

• 2 gloves garlic, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 TBS Kosher salt
• 1 TBS fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 (3 lb.) boneless pork loin, trimmed and tied
• 3 small fennel bulbs, tops removed
• 8 carrots, peeled, and thickly sliced diagonally
• 10 small potatoes (red or white-skinned), cut in quarters
• 2 yellow onions, thickly sliced
• 4 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 4 TBS unsalted butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. With a mortar and pestle, or in a food processor fitted with a steel blade, grind together the garlic, 1 TBS salt and thyme leaves. Add the mustard. Spread the mixture over the loin of pork and allow it to sit at room temperatute for at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the fennel bulbs in thick wedges, cutting through the core. Toss the fennel, carrots, potatoes and onions in a bowl with the olive oil, melted butter, salt and pepper to taste. Place the vegetables in a large roasting pan and cook for 30 minutes. Add the pork loin to the pan and continue to cook for another 30 to 50 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the middle of the pork reads exactly 138 degrees. Remove the meat from the pan and return the vegetables to the oven to keep cooking. Cover the meat with aluminum foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes. Remove the strings from the meat and slice it thickly. Arrange the meat and vegetables on a platter. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.