Pork Loin with Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

This dish is quite a winter meal. It has the smell and taste of the holidays, so throw another log on the fire and enjoy thinly sliced pork loin served over roasted Butternut Squash and Apples seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and balsamic vinegar, served over a bed of creamy mashed potatoes top off with a Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

Pork Loin
1 – Pork Loin (Size depends on how many you’re feeding. Plan on three ¼”- ½ slices per person.)
1- TBS olive oil (Just enough to coat Pork Loin)
1 – tsp salt
¼ - tsp pepper
¼ - tsp cinnamon
1 – tsp paprika
Dash cayenne pepper

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Cover pork with oil salt, pepper, cinnamon, paprika and cayenne pepper. In sauté pan (that can go into the oven) heated over medium high heat, sear each side of the pork loin, about 2min per side. You’re looking for a crusty outside but not burnt. Once seared place entire pan in the oven and cook until the internal temperature is 150 degrees for medium. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Apples
1 – butternut squash pealed and diced into 1-1 ½ inch pieces
3 – red apples diced into 1 – ½ inch pieces
1 – TBS olive or canola oil
½ - tsp cinnamon
¼ - tsp nutmeg
2 – tsp balsamic vinegar
1 – tsp of salt
Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the squash in a bowl and coat with oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and a few grinds of black pepper. In a separate bowl place the apples and coat with balsamic vinegar and a few grinds of black pepper. Place squash in a baking dish and cook covered with foil for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes add the apples and cook another 5 minutes covered. Uncover and continue to cook until squash and apples are cooked through and somewhat soft. Time will vary based on your oven. This step could take anywhere from 10-20 minutes.

Mashed Potatoes

Yukon Gold Potato

Milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter

Peel potatoes and place in cold water with a good-sized pinch of salt. You want your water to be salty so the seasoning will work its way into the potato while it cooks. Bring the pot to a boil and cook till potatoes are fork tender. Once complete drain and place potatoes back in the warm pot over low heat. Let them sit in the pot for about 5 min so the excess water can evaporate. At this point add milk, butter, salt and pepper. Start with a small amount of milk and butter. Mash the potatoes till you get a smooth creamy consistency. If potatoes seem dry add more milk and or butter to get the constancy you desire. Keep the potatoes simple (no cheese or garlic, etc), as they will absorb the flavor of the pepper sauce and juices from squash and apples. Set aside on low heat till ready to serve.

Red Pepper Sauce

4 – red bell peppers

Splash of olive or canola oil

1 – cup diced yellow onion

3 – diced cloves of garlic

1 ½ - cups chicken broth or stock

1 – tsp black pepper

1/8 – tsp red pepper flakes (more if you want it spicier)

Place the red peppers under the broil and get them good and charred (black) on all sides. When done place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap till cool. This will steam them and make it easy to remove the skin. Once cool, remove the stem, seeds, and rub the skin off.

Heat a sauté pan with a splash of oil over medium heat. When hot add the onions, garlic, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Sauté till the onions are soft and appear translucent. Roughly chop the roasted red peppers and add to the pan along with the chicken stock.  When it boils reduce the heat to low so that the pan maintains a simmer and cook for 45 min to 1-hr.

Pour everything in the pan into a blender and blend till smooth. The consistency of the sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If it’s too thick add a splash of chicken Once complete pour back in the pan and let sit over low low heat till ready to serve. Stir occasionally.

When ready to serve place a small amount of red pepper sauce on the bottom of a plate. Make a design with it. Have fun. On top of the sauce place a scoop of potatoes. Create a well in the middle of the potatoes and place a scoop of the apples and squash. Drape the squash with 2-3 thinly sliced pieces of pork and top with a dollop of red pepper sauce. Enjoy!