Name: Pork with Juniper Berries & Potatoes
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 oz. guanciale or pancetta, finely chopped; 3 tbsp. lard or extra-virgin olive oil; 10 oz. green beans, trimmed; 1 ½ tbsp. finely chopped sage; 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste; ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces; 2 sprigs flowering fennel heads (optional); 1 lb. pork tenderloin; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 bay leaves; 1 tbsp. juniper berries; 4 sprigs fresh rosemary; 3 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 cup white wine; 1 cup chicken stock

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

Italian Comfort Food

By The Editors of Saveur

Published 2015

About

This pan-seared pork loin comes from Villa Roncalli, a historic inn in the Umbrian town of Foligno. It’s a full-flavored partner for the area’s famed red wine, the robust and tannic sagrantino. The dish’s aromatics are provided by pungent juniper berries—the key flavoring of gin—and fresh herbs.

Ingredients

For the Potatoes

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1″ pieces

Method

Make the potatoes: Heat oil in a 12″ skillet over medium-high. Cook potatoes until golden, 10–12 minutes. Stir in green beans, sage, garlic, salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are tender, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.
Make the pork: Wipe skillet clean and melt lard over medium-high. Cook guanciale until crisp