Porc a l'Orange

or Pork Roast with Oranges from the From a French Country Kitchen (The Culinary Tradition of Le Madeleine French Bakery and Cafe). I've had the cookbook "forever" and enjoyed reading it but had never cooked from it. Inspired by our trip to Dallas and a must do dinner at Le Madeleine to fix this pork recipe. With Christmas oranges and a piece of pork loin in the freezer, it seemed a natural.

The orange gives a refreshing flavor to the sauce and Husband Jim rated it as one of the best. The book recommends serving it with zucchini salad with mushrooms and white onion puree. I served it with a regular salad of mixed baby greens, red onion slices, grape tomatoes, green pepper stripes and a red wine vinaigrette as well as tiny zucchini sauteed in a bit of olive oil with salt and pepper.

I'll definitely do this again, even if I don't have Christmas oranges.

Pork Roast with Oranges
(adapted from From A French Country Kitchen)

2 pounds boneless pork roast (I used pork loin)
2 T. butter
3 medium onions, cut into rings
3 oranges, sliced (reserve 3 slices for garnish)
1 cup water or stock
1 cup tomato sauce or tomato puree
2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf
1 T. sugar
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 T. butter
1 T. flour

Brown pork roast over medium heat in unsalted butter in a large casserole. In the same pan, brown onions and sliced oranges. Add water or stock and tomato sauce to the pan. Add thyme, bay leaf, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cook, covered over low heat for 1 hour or until roast reads 170 degrees. Check periodically, adding water or stock if dry. Turn roast several times during cooking.

Remove cooked roast to a platter and cover loosely with foil. If sauce is too thin, add, in small pieces, 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of flour, kneaded together until desired consistency is obtained. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.

To serve, slice pork roast and arrange slices on a hot serving tray. Pour a little of the sauce over the roast. Garnish the edge of the platter with half slices of oranges, poached 1 minute in the sauce, and some green leaves and fresh thyme springs. Pour the remainder of sauce in a gravy boat and serve with the roast.