Loin of Pork with Fennel and Garlic

Ingredients

• 1 (5-pound) loin of pork, bone in,"frenched" and tied
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1/3 cup fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 2 tablespoons lemon zest (about 2 lemons)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 2 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Allow the pork to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Place the pork, fat side up, in a roasting pan just large enough to hold it comfortably. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade process the garlic, rosemary, lemon zest, and fennel seeds until roughly chopped. Add the olive oil, mustard, salt and pepper and process until it forms a smooth paste. Rub the paste on top of the pork and roast for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Remove from the oven, transfer to a cutting board, and cover with aluminum foil. Allow to sit for 20 minutes, then remove the strings, slice between the bones and serve warm.