My husband is amazing on the grill but I’m pretty sure he has never, not once, turned on our stove or oven. Nonetheless, he tries to participate in dinner preparation when he can. One particular Monday, I get a text message from him while I’m at work. He insists that he is cooking dinner and picking up groceries and is really excited to help out so I can exercise and relax when I get home from work.

When I arrive home, I see that he’s bought a pork loin roast, thinking he had bought a pork tenderloin. Now, he does a pork tenderloin on the grill like no other, but has little experience with this thicker cut of meat. In addition to the roast, he bought bright yellow cherry tomatoes, 1 nectarine, and asparagus. Great! We had the start of a delicious dinner but, to his disappointment, I would be taking over the meat. Working with some fresh basil and an additional nectarine we had in the fridge, white wine, and some spices, this recipe was born. And let me just say…BOY WERE WE GLAD Ben bought the wrong cut of meat! The sweet and tangy nectarines combined beautifully with the spices, while the fresh basil made this dish so bright and fragrant!

Here’s what you need:

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2 T Olive Oil

½ t Mustard

1 t Paprika

½ t Coriander

2 Bay Leaves

2 c White Wine* (I used Sauvignon Blanc)

2 T Red Wine Vinegar

Salt

Pepper

Pork Loin Roast – about 1.5 lbs

1 Medium Yellow Onion

2 Medium Nectarines

2 T Fresh Basil, sliced into thin strips

*If you’re trying to cut calories or sugar, you can sub chicken or beef stock for the white wine. Add in about 1 T tomato paste for thickness and more dimension.

Here’s what you do:

1. Let your meat rest about 30 mins outside the refrigerator.

2. Combine all the spices and salt into a small bowl. Coat the meat on all side with the spice mix.

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3. Heat a dutch oven on the stove top to medium high heat. Add the olive oil to the pan.

4. Sear the meat on all sides, about 1-2 minutes each side until nicely golden.

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5. Add the white wine and bay leaves to the pan and bring the liquid to a boil. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, you can scrape any tasty bits off the bottom of the pan.  Reduce the heat to low and loosely cover the dutch oven with the lid. Let the meat simmer about 25 minutes. If you remember (which I only did once…oops!), baste the meat occasionally with the liquid from the bottom of the pan.

6. Take the roast out of the dutch oven and set the roast aside. Add onions and red wine vinegar to the dutch oven and cook until onions are soft, about 3-5 minutes.

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7. Move the onions to the side of the dutch oven to create a small well. Add the meat back to the dutch oven (place in the well). Add the nectarines and cook uncovered until the nectarines soften and are releasing their juices into the sauce, about 10-15 minutes. Isn’t it just so dang pretty already?!?! Use a meat thermometer to make sure the meat is cooked through, about 145 degrees for medium.

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8. Let the roast rest a few minutes before plating and slicing.

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9. Arrange the basil around the plate, combining it with the nectarines and onions, when possible. Place the meat on top. Marvel at the beauty of the dish, the bright summer colors, and sweet aromas of basil and nectarine. (Yes, marveling is actually an important step to this recipe.)

We sliced the yellow tomatoes and tossed them with salt, pepper, fresh basil, and a small amount of feta cheese. Ben ended up doing the asparagus on the grill…they were heavenly…rosemary, salt, truffle oil, and lavender. He sure is a keeper, that one!

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Not bad for an impromptu Monday night dinner!

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Yes, we ate on the coffee table that night! Guilty…as charged. We like having dinner and a movie night sometimes 🙂 We watch Frontera and I cried for about an hour straight.

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