Fresh Pork Fillets

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Medium saucepan
• •Potato ricer or sturdy hand masher
• •Kitchen string

Instructions

1. 1

   Season the joint

   Heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Pat the pork completely dry, then season it all over with the 2 teaspoons of salt and the black pepper. If the fat cap is thicker than ¼ inch, trim it to that depth; leave the rest, because it bastes the lean loin as it cooks. Let the seasoned joint stand while you peel the vegetables and heat the pan.

   A tied joint cooks more evenly and gives neat slices. If the butcher hasn't tied it, loop kitchen string around the loin at 1-inch intervals without squeezing it out of shape.
2. 2

   Build the fond

   Heat a 12-inch ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter; when the foam subsides, lay in the pork fat-side down. Brown every broad surface and both ends, turning only when each side releases easily, 8 to 10 minutes altogether. You want deep bronze on the meat and a mahogany fond on the pan floor. If the butter turns black before the pork browns, lift out the joint, wipe the pan, add a little fresh oil and butter, and continue. Ça se rattrape: the colour already on the meat is not lost.

3. 3

   Roast with patience

   Set the pork fat-side up. Add the crushed garlic and thyme to the skillet, coating them in the fat, then transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted through the side into the center registers 149°F (65°C), about 45 to 55 minutes. Begin checking after 35 minutes rather than trusting the clock. The temperature will rise as the meat rests, leaving the pork cooked through without driving out its moisture. If it passes 154°F (68°C), don't panic; carve it a little thinner and serve it generously with the jus.

4. 4

   Make the purée

   While the pork roasts, place the celeriac and potatoes in a saucepan, cover with cold water by 1 inch, and add the remaining tablespoon of salt. Bring slowly to a simmer and cook until both vegetables crush without resistance, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain thoroughly, return them to the dry pan over low heat for 2 minutes, then pass them through a ricer or mash by hand. Warm the cream with 4 tablespoons of butter and the nutmeg, then fold it into the vegetables. If the purée is stiff, loosen it with another spoonful of warm cream. If it begins to turn gluey, stop working it immediately; more beating only makes matters worse.

5. 5

   Rest the roast

   Transfer the pork to a warm board, keeping every drop left in the skillet. Cover the joint loosely with foil and rest it for 15 minutes. Do not carve early. The rest lets the temperature settle near 154 to 158°F (68 to 70°C) and allows the juices to remain in the meat instead of flooding the board.

6. 6

   Finish the jus

   Use an oven mitt for the skillet handle. Remove the spent thyme and garlic, then spoon off excess fat while leaving the fond in place. Set the skillet over medium heat, pour in the chicken stock, and scrape up every brown, non-burnt trace. Add any juices released by the resting pork and reduce until the jus is lightly nappant, coating the back of a spoon without becoming syrupy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and whisk in the final tablespoon of cold butter. If the jus looks greasy or separates, whisk in 1 tablespoon of cold water off the heat until it comes together again.

7. 7

   Carve and serve

   Taste the purée and jus for salt. Snip away the strings, then carve the pork across the grain into ½-inch slices. Spoon the purée generously onto a warm platter, overlap the pork beside it, and pour over enough jus to gloss the slices while keeping the rest for the table. This is a family roast, so serve it generously. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Buy a center-cut boneless loin with an even cylinder shape and a modest fat cap. This entry calls for a roasting joint, not the two narrow tenderloins sometimes sold as pork fillets; tenderloins cook too quickly for this method and won't produce the same family roast.
• •Use a thermometer. Pork loin is too lean to judge by cooking time alone, and oven temperatures wander. Pull it at 149°F (65°C), then give it the full rest so carryover heat finishes the center gently.
• •The celeriac-potato purée is one honest choice from the broad family of garnishes allowed by the entry. Green beans finished in butter, braised cabbage, macaroni, or soft polenta can take its place without changing the roast itself.
• •Butter, not margarine, belongs in both the purée and the finished jus. The butter gives the vegetables their roundness and emulsifies the reduced pan juices into a proper gloss.
• •A light Gamay has enough freshness for the pork and enough fruit for the sweet earthiness of celeriac. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator; reheat thin slices gently in the remaining jus rather than returning the whole loin to the oven.

Advance Preparation

• •The pork can be tied and salted up to 24 hours ahead. Refrigerate it uncovered, then take it out while the oven heats; the dry surface will brown particularly well.
• •The celeriac-potato purée can be made up to 1 day ahead. Reheat it slowly with a splash of cream and a knob of butter, stirring only until smooth and hot.
• •The pan jus must wait for the roast because it depends on the fresh fond, but the stock can be measured and the butter portioned before cooking begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 500g)