1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup alcoholic or nonalcoholic apple cider
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the pork, bones pointing up, in a roasting pan. Combine the mustards and sage in a small bowl. Brush mixture over the top and sides of the pork. Season the pork with salt and pepper and roast 50 minutes.
Fifteen minutes before the end of that cooking time, cut each apple lengthwise into quarters and remove the cores. Place the apples in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, cinnamon and nutmeg and toss to combine.
When the pork has cooked 50 minutes, surround with the apples, setting them skin-side down in a single layer. Roast pork 30 minutes more, or until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the centre registers 160 F. Transfer pork to a plate or platter (if cutting at the table). Tent with foil and rest 10 minutes. Set apples on a heat-proof plate and keep warm in a 200 F oven until needed.
To make the jus, set the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Add the cider and bring to a simmer, scraping any tasty brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add stock to the pan, return to simmer, and simmer jus 5 minutes. Transfer jus to a sauceboat and keep warm.
To serve, cut pork between the bones into 6 single-chop portions and set one on each of 6 plates. Set two apple quarters on each plate. Drizzle pork with the jus, or let your guests do that at the table.
Note: The apple varieties listed should hold their shape during cooking.
SPINACH AND YAM PHYLLO PARCELS WITH FETA AND NUTS
Earthy spinach, sweet yam, tangy feta and rich nuts combine in this meatfree dish sealed in flaky phyllo pastry.
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: About 90 minutes
Makes: 6 servings
1 large yam (about 425 grams)
2 (5 oz.) tubs baby spinach
225 grams feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the dried powdered stuff)
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecan pieces
1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill or mint
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
? freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup butter, melted
12 sheets phyllo pastry
? store-bought or homemade tzatziki sauce, to taste
? dill or mint sprigs for garnish
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Prick the yam several times with a fork. Place in a parchment paper-lined baking pan and bake until tender, about 60 to 70 minutes, depending on thickness. Cool yam to room temperature. Fill a large pot with 1/2 inch of water. Bring to a boil over medium to medium-high heat. Add the spinach, cover and cook until it just wilts. Drain the spinach in a colander, drizzle and cool with cold water, and then drain again.
Grab some of the spinach in your hands and firmly squeeze as much water from it as you can. (If you don't do this well, you'll have an overly wet filling.) Set the spinach on a cutting board.
Repeat with remaining spinach in the colander.
Coarsely chop the spinach and set in a medium to large bowl. Add the feta, Parmesan, eggs, nuts, dill or mint, garlic and black pepper and mix to combine. (The feta will add a salty taste.)
Carefully remove the skin from the yam with a small knife. Slice the yam into 3/4-inch-thick rounds. Now cut each round into 3/4-inch cubes. Add the yam cubes to the spinach mixture and very gently mix to combine. Divide spinach/yam mixture into 6 equal portions (each should be about 2/3 cup) and set on a wide plate.
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush a sheet of phyllo pastry lightly with melted butter. Top with another sheet of phyllo and brush it with butter. Do these steps twice more; you should end up with four sheets of layered pastry.
Cut the layered sheets, widthwise, in half. Set a portion of the spinach/yam mixture in a 5-inch long and 2-inch wide row near the bottom end of each half piece of layered phyllo. Fold the sides of the phyllo slightly over the yam/ spinach mixture and then roll into a cylinder. Set each phyllo parcel on the baking sheet and brush the tops with a little butter.
Repeat these steps with remaining phyllo sheets and filling and you will end up with 6 phyllo parcels. (If making the phyllo parcels a few hours in advance to bake later, tent with plastic wrap and refrigerate them.)
Bake phyllo parcels in the middle of the oven 20 minutes, until golden brown on the outside and piping hot in the middle. Serve parcels whole, or sliced in half and artfully arranged on plates. Serve with tzatziki sauce and garnish with dill or mint sprigs.
Eric Akis is the author of the bestselling Everyone Can Cook series of cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
