As far as holidays go Christmas is the one where I put in the least amount of work in the kitchen. When my extended family gets together for dinner we all bring dishes and typically graze throughout the afternoon and evening.

Over the last several years I’ve done a classic braciole, made a vat of meatballs and even just tossed a standing rib roast in the oven because it didn’t require much of my attention. Roasts are always a great idea because they can feed a lot of people for a reasonable price and because they make fantastic sandwiches the next day.

With money being a little tight this year I decided that I would look into a pork roast rather than beef to save a little money. Besides, I’ve always wanted to make a porchetta and thought this would be a great time to give it a try.

Classically, a porchetta is a when an entire pig is deboned, broken down and various parts are ground and seasoned before being stuffed back in and getting rolled up. The process of butchering and rolling an entire pig was definitely not in the cards for me, plus I’m not feeding the third regiment.

In doing my research for my latest culinary experiment I came across recipes by both Mario Batali and Michael Symon. Drawing inspiration from both I went to work assembling my own porchetta style pork loin roast. I made a small batch of homemade sausage from some pork shoulder and a paste out of garlic and herbs to give the filling several different flavor dimensions. After rolling up the pork loin I gave it a light brushing of olive oil before wrapping it all in some thinly sliced pancetta and tying it up with butcher’s twine to ensure a solid presentation.

Since there was a lot going on with the porchetta style pork loin roast I kept the accompaniments simple by roasting some potatoes in a cast iron skillet until nice and crispy. Then I sauteed some mini cippolini onions in an agrodolce sauce, which is essentially the Italian version of a gastrique where you combine a sour element (in this case, balsamic vinegar) with something sweet (cane sugar) to produce a syrup like sauce.

From concept to execution this is recipe is definitely a keeper and will be gracing my family’s holiday table this year. The combination of the crunchy saltiness from the pancetta crust, the heat from the homemade sausage filling and the sweet from the cippolini onions was a well balanced bite.

If you’re looking to mix up your holiday roast routine, then, with all apologizes to Geddy Lee, I hope you’ll consider giving my brilliant red porchetta a shot.

Porchetta Style Pork Loin Roast

recipe adapted from Mario Batali and Michael Symon

Software

• 4 to 5 pound pork loin roast trimmed and roll cut (butterflied)
• 2# pork shoulder, ground fine
• 1 tsp fennel pollen
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup fennel, finely diced
• 1/4 cup leeks, finely sliced
• 6 to 8 cloves, garlic
• 4 to 5 sprigs rosemary
• 3/4 cup parsley
• 6 to 8 leaves sage
• olive oil (just enough to make a wet paste)
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 to 3 eggs
• 1 to 2 cups day old bread, diced
• 1/2 pound pancetta sliced thinly
• Butchers twine

Assemblage

1. Grind the pork shoulder using a fine plate, season with the fennel pollen, crushed red pepper, salt and ground black pepper, then refrigerate
2. Saute the onion, fennel and leeks in a pan with olive oil, then add the seasoned ground pork shoulder
3. When the pork is fully browned set it aside and allow it to cool
4. Combine the garlic cloves, rosemary, sage leaves, parsley, fennel seeds, a pinch of salt and black pepper in a food processor and pulse until combined
5. Slowly drizzle in enough olive oil to bring the herb mixture together into a moist paste, then set aside
6. Add the eggs and diced bread to the cooked pork mixture and fold in to combine (you may need more, you may need less; once the stuffing comes together and starts sticking together you should be good to go)
7. Line a cutting board with plastic wrap, place the roll cut pork loin on top and lightly score the inside with a knife, then spread the garlic and herb paste liberally on the entire surface
8. Continue by spreading the sausage stuffing mix, leaving about an inch around all edges to avoid loss when you roll it up
9. Using the plastic wrap for leverage, roll the pork loin like a jelly roll and set aside
10. Spread out a layer of parchment paper and stagger slices of pancetta across the entire sheet, making sure it is wide enough to wrap the stuffed pork loin
11. Lay the pork loin at one end of the sheet of pancetta, rub the loin roll very lightly with olive oil to help the pancetta stick and, using the parchment paper for leverage, roll until the pork loin is completely wrapped
12. Using butchers twine tie the pork loin together so that it keeps it shape
13. Place the pork loin in a roasting pan in a 375 degree oven and roast until it reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees
14. Allow the roast to rest 10 to 15 minutes after you remove it from the oven, then slice and serve
15. Garnish with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and a squirt of fresh lemon

Cippolini Onions in an Agrodolce Sauce

Software

• 1 package mini cippolini onions
• Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar

Assemblage

1. Cut both ends off the onions and remove the paper skin layer off of the onions
2. Bring a saucepan of water to boil and poach the onions for four to five minutes
3. Heat a splash of olive oil and the butter in a saute pan
4. Drain the onions, coarsely chop (or leave whole, if desired) and place in the pan with the oil and butter
5. Season onions with salt and pepper and cook for two to three minutes
6. Drizzle the balsamic vinegar in the pan and allow it to cook down slightly, then add the sugar
7. The onions are done when the balsamic becomes syrupy