SRC Reveal: An Italian Cooking in the Midwest

It's the first Monday of the month which means one thing: Secret Recipe Club reveal for Group A. This month I was assigned to An Italian Cooking in the Midwest, a blog written by Pola. I've been following Pola's blog for quite some time; how could I resist? Her stated goal is to bring authentic, if not always traditional, Italian home-style cooking to the Midwest. Gotta love that.

Just last month, she was assigned to my blog and picked one of my very favorite sweets: Fig and Polenta Cake. Here's her post...and my original. I think I'll have to make that again very soon. Thanks for the reminder, Pola.

I spent hours, literally hours, exploring Pola's blog and drooling over my keyboard: Cured Salmon, Baked Sardines and Potatoes, and Eggplant Pesto were a few of my favorites. But what I finally decided was to merge her Caper and Sun-Dried Tomato Pork Roast and Lemon Pork Tenderloin recipes for a delectable summer roast. I love cooking in parchment paper, but for some reason, I've only ever done fish and vegetables. So, when I saw that Pola did a pork roast that way, I knew I had to try it. Eccolà!

Caper and Lemon-Crusted Pork Roast En Papillote

inspired by An Italian Cooking in the Midwest

2 lb pork loin roast
1/2 C capers
freshly ground sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 T minced garlic
1/4 C diced roasted bell peppers
zest and juice from 1 lemon
drizzle of olive oil

Rub the entire roast with freshly ground sea salt and pepper. In a small mixing bowl, stir together the capers, bell peppers, garlic, and lemon zest. Line a baking dish with parchment paper that will fit all the way around the roast with enough extra paper to create some folds. Lay the roast on the paper. Press the caper mixture on top of the roast, creating a crust of sorts. Drizzle the roast with the lemon juice and a splash of olive oil.

Bring the paper edges together and fold. There are lots of online tutorials of how to fold parchment paper to cook en papillote. To see the example from cookthink: click here. Bon Apetit's version uses a heart-shaped piece of paper. Sweet, but unnecessary. The key: create a seal so that the steam stays inside the packet. Lay the packet on a rimmed baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 380 degrees. Roast for 2 hours. Let rest, inside the parchment paper pouch for 10 minutes before opening.

Slice and serve. I served it with roasted beets, purple cabbage slaw, and steamed red quinoa. Buon appetito!