Pork Roast with Cardamom Mushroom Sauce

Ingredients

• 0.8 cup coarse kosher salt 
• 0.8 cup sugar 
• 1 gallon water cold
• 1 tablespoon pepper 
• 1.5 cups onion divided chopped ( 2 medium onions)
• 6 tablespoons olive oil extra virgin 
• 2.3 teaspoons ground cardamom divided
• 1 large garlic clove 
• 4 pound center-cut pork loin roast boneless
• 8 servings salt and pepper 
• 1.5 pounds mushrooms sliced
• 2 cups chicken broth divided
• 0.5 cup whipping cream 
• 1 tablespoons all purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoons butter room temperature

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• blender
• roasting pan
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil

Directions

1. the pork roast:
2. Whisk together the salt, sugar, and water until the salt and sugar have completely dissolved.
3. Add the pepper.
4. Submerge pork in the brine solution and chill for 1 to 2 days. Note that thick, gallon-sized freezer bag is great for brining; if you use one, you probably only need half as much brine solution. Even if you are using a bag, place in a bowl just in case the bag leaks.
5. Rinse the roast thoroughly of the brine solution before cooking, pat dry.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. Make onion garlic cardamom rub: Purée 1/2 cup chopped onion, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 teaspoons ground cardamom, and garlic in a food processor or blender.
8. Rub roast with onion purée, surround with mushrooms and onions in roasting pan: Toss remaining 1 cup of chopped onion with mushrooms and 4 Tbsp olive oil in a bowl.
9. Place pork roast in the center of the roasting pan.
10. Sprinkle the roast with salt and pepper. Rub roast with onion garlic purée. Surround the roast with mushrooms and onions.
11. Roast pork, remove mushrooms, add broth and water: Roast pork 1 hour at 350°F.
12. Remove from oven after one hour and remove the mushrooms, placing them into a large saucepan.
13. Add 1 cup broth and 1/2 cup water to roasting pan.
14. Return roast to oven and roast pork until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 140°F-145°F, about 15-20 minutes longer.
15. Transfer pork to platter; tent with foil.
16. Make mushroom cream sauce with pan drippings: Scrape the drippings from the roasting pan into the pan with the mushrooms.
17. Add the cream, remaining cup of broth, and 1/4 teaspoon cardamom to pan; bring to boil. Blend flour and butter in small cup; mix into mushroom sauce.
18. Cook the sauce, stirring often, until reduced enough to coat spoon. Season sauce with salt and pepper; serve with pork.