I had all but given up hope on finding more rhubarb this spring, after my earlier, monthlong, city-wide search that resulted in my first few stalks of this tart, springtime treasure. But my sweet-toothed husband, Les, made a bold announcement after his first taste of the Rhubarb-Berry Crunch dessert—“OK, I like rhubarb,” so the hunt was on for more. I lucked out, at the same store I had found it before, and I bought the last of what they had. As with any rare find, I have been trying to ration my rhubarb stash to enjoy it in as many forms as possible, and I have a few more ideas brewing in the back of my mind that I’ll spring on you soon.
The ginger addition to the rhubarb filling in the crunch dessert was so delicious; I wanted to pair the flavors again in a sweet-meets-savory chutney for pork roast. A smart lesson I learned in my part-time catering years was the easy trick of “echoing” flavors across various dishes in a meal, and I put that idea fully to work here, giving the chutney a shout out with complementary flavors in both the brine and dry rub. I incorporated cardamom, star anise, more ginger and one colorful ingredient I purchased recently from the gourmet kitchen section of TJ Maxx:
I’ve seen them, of course, but didn’t know much about pink peppercorns, other than their occasional appearance in one of the “mélange” blends that goes into my Peugeot peppermill. As it turns out, pink peppercorns are not related to black pepper at all! They are named merely for their resemblance to peppercorns and also for their slight peppery flavor, but they are brighter and fruitier than ordinary pepper, and they turned out to be a nice complement to the tart rhubarb. They are also much softer than regular peppercorns, as I learned when I easily crushed them with my mortar and pestle. Another fact about pink peppercorns—one that is more on the serious side—they are closely related to cashews, so they pose a significant safety risk to anyone with allergies to tree nuts (yikes).
The pork loin was a great find at a local farmer’s market. The seller was mindful to point out the advantages of local, pastured pork, which is more humane and sustainable than most conventional processes, and I have no problem paying the higher cost for those benefits. It is also more flavorful than typical, bland grocery store cuts. The loin is a very lean cut, prone to become dry, so I brined it for a few hours before roasting. The end result was perfectly tender, juicy and flavorful, and the gingered chutney was just the right touch, though a bit intense for Les, so I would ease up on the ginger next time. We served this delicious roast with simple boiled red potatoes and our favorite homemade collard greens, another prize from the farmer’s market.
The extra layers of attention that I gave to this meal earns it a spot in my Sunday Supper category, which I suspect has been feeling a little neglected recently. We have done a lot of very casual cooking at our house in recent months, but after so many weeks of playing “hard to get,” this rhubarb deserved a special seat at the table. Enjoy!
Ingredients & Instructions
The primary purpose of a brine is moisture retention, but I do like to add a few flavor enhancers, including the pink peppercorns and a small handful of crushed mustard seeds. 
Most of the flavor I’m adding to the brine will only be absorbed into the outer surface of the pork. Stir the brine mixture until salt and sugar are dissolved. 
When brining, you want the meat fully submerged in the liquid, and it must be COLD. This is headed for the fridge for about 4 hours. 
I built my spice rub for the roast on the flavors of ginger and cardamom, adding garlic and onion powders and black pepper. 
For added oomph, I sprinkled in about 1/2 teaspoon of five spice powder. 
Remove the loin roast from the brine and pat it completely dry with paper towels. Let it rest, uncovered, for a bit, then brush with oil and coat all sides with the spice rub. 
Saute the chopped onion and season with salt, pink pepper and crushed cardamom pod. 
Rhubarb is low in pectin, and I wanted this to thicken naturally, so I combined it with pectin-rich apples. 
Add brown sugar and crystallized ginger. The ginger can get kind of bossy, so you may want to add half at first, and adjust to taste. 
When the apples and rhubarb begin to soften, add the vinegar and stir to blend. 
Allow the mixture to simmer until thickened, and adjust seasoning to taste. Sprinkle in the fresh thyme leaves near the end of cooking. 
Roast at 450° F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 400° for about 45 minutes, until internal temp is 145° F. I used our oven’s convection setting, so the time may vary a bit. 
Gorgeous! The roast was crispy on the outside and the seasoning was just right without overwhelming the natural flavor. 
Let it rest at least 10 minutes before slicing. The brine really helped the roast retain moisture. 
Look at that perfect slice! I couldn’t waste the flavorful pan juices, so I dipped each slice in the juices before plating. 
The return of the Sunday Supper! 🙂
Brine for pork loin
2 1/4 lb. pasture-raised pork loin
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup canning and pickling salt (or kosher salt)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbsp. crushed pink peppercorns
2 cardamom pods, crushed
1 piece star anise
Be sure your brine container is non-reactive; a large, deep glass bowl works great. It isn’t necessary to heat the water, as pickling or kosher salt will dissolve pretty easily. If you do choose to heat the water for quicker dissolving, be sure the brine has time to cool completely before you add the roast to it.
Stir brine ingredients until salt and sugar are dissolved; submerge pork loin, cover and refrigerate 4 to 5 hours; remove from brine, pat dry all over with paper towels. Rest a few minutes, pat dry again, then follow rub instructions.
Rub for pork loin
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. five spice powder
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
Spray olive oil onto dried pork loin, and sprinkle rub all over, especially the lean surfaces. Let roast remain uncovered at room temperature for about an hour before roasting.
Preheat oven to 450° F. Place loin roast (fat side up) on rack above parchment-lined baking sheet, or inside a shallow glass baking dish. Roast at 450° for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 400° and roast or convect roast for 30 to 45 additional minutes, or more as needed to reach 145° F internal temp. Rest at least 10 minutes, then slice thinly. Dip slices into any clean pan drippings for extra flavor at serving.
Rhubarb Apple Chutney
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced sweet onion
½ tsp. pink peppercorn, crushed
1 cardamom pod, crushed
1 heaping cup diced rhubarb
1/2 cup chopped apple
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp. minced crystallized ginger
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
Kosher salt and black pepper
Leaves from about two sprigs of fresh thyme
Heat olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté onions until softened. Season with salt and pepper, pink pepper and crushed cardamom pods. Add rhubarb and apple and toss to combine. Add brown sugar and crystallized ginger. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar is dissolved and fruit begins to break down. Add vinegar and continue to cook over low heat until fruit is completely softened and mixture is thickened. Stir in thyme leaves. If not using immediately, chill then reheat.
Comfort du Jour 
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