FALL DINNERS: Roasted Pork with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce

Another Saturday night in, another new recipe to try. Chris and I like pork every now and then and had chops in our freezer. Looking for inspiration for a new pork recipe, I went back to a recorded episode of "Giada at Home" that has been waiting for me on my DVR. With most of the ingredients already in the fridge and pantry, we decided to try her Roasted Pork with Smoky Red Pepper Sauce. It sounded like a good hearty dish for a rainy fall night, and let's be honest it- I was super excited to use my Cuisinart hand-blender for the first time.

I paired the pork dish with sweet potatoes to offset it's smoky, pepper flavors, which turned out to be a great compliment. I would definitely recommend it. I just baked the sweet potatoes straight on the metal rack in the oven, alongside the pork. For the vegetable, I made the Brussels blogged about in July.

What I learned:
- The red pepper sauce requires a good amount of salt and black pepper. I seasoned pretty conservatively while making the sauce (not sticking to her measurements), so we had to add it on the plate. More salt made a big difference in how much we enjoyed the pork.
-We used pork chops, because that's what we already had on hand. I would suggest following Giada's recommendation for using pork tenderloin, since thinner slices of meat would be a bit more moist, and tenderloin tends to be more flavorful in my experience. I'll do that next time :)
-I'm not a huge fan of parsley, so I skipped it as a garnish. While I didn't try it this time, I think basil would be a great alternative.

If you're looking to change up your pork routine and like bell peppers, this tasty dish has a unique smoky flavor I think you'll enjoy.


ROASTED PORK WITH SMOKY RED PEPPER SAUCE
recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, www.foodnetwork.com
serves 4-6

Ingredients:

Pork:

• 3 (1-pound) pork tenderloins, trimmed
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 medium orange bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt for seasoning, plus 2 tablespoons
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups red wine, such as Syrah or Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 1 (15-ounce) can tomato puree
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method:

Pork: Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Rub 1 tablespoon of the oil over the pork and season with salt and pepper, to taste. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil over high heat. Add the pork and brown it on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the pork to a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Roast it until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pork registers 165 degrees F, about 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the pork to rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board.

Sauce: In the same skillet used for the pork, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, peppers and garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook, stirring frequently until softened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir in the paprika, tomato puree and the bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender. Blend until smooth. Season with 2 tablespoons salt and pepper, to taste.

Slice the pork thinly and arrange on a platter. Spoon the sauce on top, garnish with chopped parsley and serve.