Spanish-Style Roasted Rack of Pork with Pan-Roasted Romesco Sauce

Fit for Company, Heirloom Pork

Normally romesco sauce is served at room temperature. In this recipe, I roast the peppers, garlic, and tomato while the pork cooks and then combine them with the pan juices to make a warm sauce. I prefer an heirloom breed of pork. If you use supermarket pork, I recommend flavor-brining the meat first in a Spanish-inspired flavor brine (see Cook’s Notes). If you are brining the meat, you’ll need to begin the recipe 2 days in advance. Piquillo peppers are a supercharged Spanish pimiento. Even in Spain, they are seldom used fresh but are sold roasted, in cans or jars. If you can’t find them, substitute canned whole pimientos or fire-roasted red bell peppers

SERVES: 6

SPANISH SPICE PASTE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram
• 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika (pimentón de la Vera; see Sources)
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 6- to 8-bone center-cut pork loin rib roast (rack of pork; 4–5 pounds), chine bone removed
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 4 whole piquillo peppers or pimientos
• 1 Roma tomato, peeled, halved, and seeded
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 cup Spanish dry sherry
• ½ cup roasted almonds (I use Spanish Marcona; see Cook’s Notes)
• ¼ cup fresh bread crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Paste: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl to make a paste. Rub all over the pork roast. Let the roast stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3. Roasting: Lay the roast bone side down in a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F. Scatter the sliced garlic over the bottom of a baking dish, lay the peppers and tomato on top, pour over the oil, and roast along with the pork for 30 minutes. Remove the dish with the peppers and tomato and let cool.
4. Check the internal temperature of the roast with an instant-read thermometer. If it registers 135°F to 140°F, it’s done. If not done, continue to roast, checking the temperature every 15 minutes. Transfer the roast to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest for 15 to 20 minutes while you finish the sauce.
5. Sauce: Pour off any fat from the roasting pan and pour in the sherry. Place over medium heat and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour all the liquid into a small saucepan and boil until reduced to about ¼ cup. Set aside.
6. Finely chop the almonds in a food processor. Add the roasted pepper and tomato mixture, with its oil, and the bread crumbs. Pulse a few times, then add the reduced sherry and process to form a smooth paste. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
7. To serve, cut the roast into individual chops. Serve the warm sauce on the side.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS:

• Boneless pork loin
• Pork inside roast (top round)
• Pork sirloin roast
• Pork knuckle roast
• Boston butt (increase the roasting time)

COOK’S NOTES:

• To flavor-brine the pork, combine 7 cups water with ½ cup salt, ⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar, ¼ cup sherry vinegar, ¼ cup sweet sherry, ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, and 1 tablespoon Spanish paprika (pimentón de la Vera; see Sources). Stir until the salt and sugar are dissolved, and add 2 cups of ice cubes. Place the pork in a bowl or plastic storage tub. Cover with the flavor brine and refrigerate for 48 hours. Remove from the flavor brine, pat dry, and proceed with the recipe, omitting the salt from the rub.
• Roasted and salted Marcona almonds from Spain are sold at specialty food shops and online (see Sources). If you can’t find them, use Blue Diamond roasted almonds