Merchants Fine Wine

Fall Recipes

Pork Loin with Apples

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 (2-pound) boneless center cut pork loin, trimmed and tied Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 medium onion, thickly sliced 2 carrots, thickly sliced 2 stalks celery, thickly, sliced 3 cloves garlic, smashed 3 sprigs fresh thyme 3 sprigs fresh rosemary 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter 2 apples, such as Cortland or Rome peeled, cored and cut into 8 slices 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 cup apple cider 2 tablespoons whole grain mustard Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a large ovenproof skillet heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Season the pork loin all over generously with salt and pepper. Sear the meat until golden brown on all sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and set it aside. Add the onion, carrot, celery, garlic, herb sprigs, and 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet. Stir until the vegetables are browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced apples, then push the mixture to the sides and set the pork loin in the middle of the skillet along with any collected juices on the plate. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the loin until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 140 to 150 degrees F, about 30 to 35 minutes. (See Cook's Note.) Transfer the pork a cutting board and cover it loosely with foil while you make the sauce. Arrange the apples and vegetables on a serving platter and set aside. Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Return the skillet to a high heat and add the vinegar scraping the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen up any browned bits. Reduce by half then add the cider and reduce by about half again. Pull the skillet from the heat and whisk in the mustard, and the remaining 2 tablespoons of cold butter. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the strings from the roast and slice into 1/2-inch thick pieces and arrange over the apple mixture. Drizzle some sauce over meat and serve the rest on the side. Cook's Note: Pork cooked this way will be slightly pink. If desired, cook the pork to 160 degrees F, but be aware that this lean cut will not be as moist at the higher temperature.

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Bourbon

Crust:

1 cup finely chopped pecans
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk

Filling:

1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree*
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds deli-style cream cheese
1/2 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons bourbon whiskey
1/8 cup sour cream

*Use oven-roasted, fresh pumpkin or good-quality canned pumpkin, not presweetened pumpkin pie filling.

Topping:

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon bourbon whiskey
1 teaspoon sugar

Special equipment: a 9-inch springform pan, an electric mixer For the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Combine the pecans, flour, brown sugar, graham cracker crumbs, butter, and egg yolk together in a large bowl. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the springform pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees F. For the filling: Combine the pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, maple syrup, and bourbon until smooth. Combine with the sour cream and pumpkin mixture. Pour over the prebaked crust. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until the center shows little to no movement when the pan is tapped. Set aside to cool. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees F. For the topping: Combine the sour cream, bourbon, and sugar together in a small bowl. Spread over the cooled cheesecake. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until well chilled. Remove from the springform pan and peel away the parchment paper. Slice and serve.

Easy Apple Strudel with Cinnamon

6 layers phyllo dough
1/4 brown sugar
1 stick butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and diced
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stack layers of dough brushing each layer with butter before topping with next layer. Brush top layer with butter. In a bowl combine apples, raisins, sugar and cinnamon. Spoon filling down the left longside of phyllo rectangle. Fold top edge down and bottom edge up by about 2 inches to cover filling. Roll dough up along long side to enclose filling. Brush log with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden and puffed.