Roasted Pork

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Heat a medium pot of salted water to boiling on high. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil. Pat the pork dry with paper towels; season all sides with salt and pepper. In a large, high-sided pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the seasoned pork. Cook, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes, or until browned on all sides. Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to the prepared sheet pan. Roast 23 to 25 minutes, or until cooked through. (An instant-read thermometer inserted into the pork should register 145°F.) Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes.

While the pork sears, add the farro to the pot of boiling water and cook, uncovered, 16 to 18 minutes, or until tender. Turn off the heat. Drain thoroughly and return to the pot. Set aside in a warm place.

While the farro cooks, wash and dry the fresh produce. Remove and discard the kale stems; finely chop the leaves. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Core and medium dice the apple. Roughly chop the walnuts.

Once the pork has roasted for about 15 minutes, heat the pan of reserved fond on medium-high until hot. Add the kale and white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil.) Cook on medium-high, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the kale is slightly wilted. Add ½ cup of water and cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the kale has wilted and the water has cooked off. Add the apple, walnuts and cooked farro; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 1 to 2 minutes, or until the apple is slightly softened. Turn off the heat. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in a warm place.

While the pork continues to roast, rinse and wipe out the pot used to cook the farro. Add the maple syrup and vinegar; season with salt and pepper. Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes, or until reduced in volume by about half. Turn off the heat and stir in the crème fraîche; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish.

Find the lines of muscle (or grain) on the rested pork; thinly slice crosswise against the grain. Transfer the salad to a serving dish. Top with the sliced pork. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions. Serve with the sauce on the side. Enjoy!