Roasted Rosemary Pork w/ Asparagus

Roasted Rosemary Pork with Asparagus

INGREDIENTS:

3 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 large garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 (5-pound) center-cut pork loin roast
2 pounds fresh thick asparagus spears, trimmed and blanched

TO PREPARE:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mix the olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper in a bowl. Reserve 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil mixture. Spread the remaining olive oil mixture over the fat side of the pork and arrange on a wire rack in a roasting pan.
Place the pork in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Roast for 2 hours. Toss the asparagus with the reserved olive oil mixture in a shallow dish. Arrange the asparagus around the pork and roast for 15 to 20 minutes longer or until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees for medium or 170 degrees for well done. Slice the pork and serve immediately with the asparagus.

NOTE: Roasting the asparagus along with the pork gives it
a delicious flavor.

SERVES: 12