I've made this several times over the years, and it never gets old; I figured I would share it here, as well.

Roast Pork Calypso



From Time/Life's Foods of the World - The Cooking of the Caribbean Islands, 1970:

quote:

[Jamaica's] colonial era was a time of contrast. While those who worked the fields lived on vegetables, the planters who owned the fields enjoyed a life style as elegant as any back home in Europe. Their plantations had huge kitchens and large household staffs, and they combined Old World culinary traditions with the New World plenty to produce legend-inspiring meals. They served all the vegetables that their lands produced, but the keystones of their generous cuisines were the meats...raised on the plantations. And today, long after the opulence has gone, there remains a tradition of hearty eating and a treasure of fanciful meat recipes....

For the most part, only the legend remains. The balls, the splendid dinners, the clothes and furniture and paintings brought at huge cost from Europe are no more. The legions of servants are gone. The great houses that were a mark of the wealth of the 18th Century planters have nearly all succumbed to hurricanes, termites and the inexorable pressures of modern economics....

[In spite of this], the foods and flavours of the past are on everybody's tongue. In this part of the world...much that is connected with the past is disappearing. But when it comes to food, dishes that were once enjoyed only by the rich...are being revived, gradually forming a heritage for all who live on the islands.

For some reason, this one really called to me. Maybe it was because I first read of it as we were coming out of a very long, very cold winter; or perhaps it was because I've always had an interest in history, and the complex, intertwined dynamics that were in play as the Caribbean islands were settled by Spain, France, England and The Netherlands. Maybe it was simply because I had also just finished reading James Michener's Caribbean. In any case, my interest in the area combined with Time/Life's delicious-looking recipe and beautiful picture of this dish, and I resolved to give it a try.

quote:

Roast Pork Calypso

To serve 6 to 8:

A 5- to 6-pound lean pork loin, preferably center cut
2 cups chicken stock, fresh or canned
1 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 teaspoons finely-chopped garlic
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 medium-sized bay leaf, crumbled
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup light rum
2 teaspoons arrowroot combined with 1 tablespoon cold water
3 tablespoons strained, fresh lime juice

Preheat the oven to 350. With a sharp knife, lightly score the pork loin by making diagonal cuts 1/4-inch deep on the fat side. Place the pork scored-side-up in a shallow roasting pan just large enough to hold it comfortably. (If you prefer to use a meat thermometer, insert it into the loin after you have scored the fat side. Be sure the tip of the thermometer does not touch any fat or bone.) Roast the loin in the middle of the oven for 1 hour, or until the pork is golden-brown. Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the loin to a cutting board or platter. Skim the fat from the juices in the pan, pour in the stock, and set the pan and its liquid aside.

With a large mortar and pestle or in a small bowl with the back of a spoon, mash the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of dark rum, the garlic, ginger, cloves, bay leaf, salt and pepper to a smooth paste. with a metal spatula or your fingertips, spread the paste evenly over the scored side of the pork. Return the loin to the pan scored-side-up, and roast in the middle of the oven for another 30 minutes, or until the surface is crusty and brown. (The thermometer should reach a temperature of 160-165 degrees.)

Transfer the loin to a heated platter and let it rest for 10 minutes for easier carving. Meanwhile, warm the 1/4 cup of light rum in a small skillet over low heat. Off the heat, ignite the rum with a match, then slide the skillet gently back-and-forth until the flames die out.

Bring the liquid remaining in the baking pan to a boil over high heat. Give the arrowroot-and-water mixture a quick stir to recombine it and add it to the pan. Stirring constantly, cook briskly until the sauce thickens enough to coat the spoon heavily. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the flamed rum and the lime juice. Taste for seasoning and pour the sauce into a heated bowl or sauceboat. Serve accompanied by Cornmeal Coo-Coo or Cristophene au Gratin.

We made this again for supper last night, and it was probably our best preparation yet.

I followed the recipe almost exactly, except for a few minor but necessary substitutions:

1. We had no rum in the house, dark or light, so I made do with some sherry.

2. Lacking limes or any other citrus, we used a touch of white wine vinegar.

3. Cornstarch (also known as corn flour) was used, rather than arrowroot.

4. Our locally-raised-and-processed pork loin roast (just a hair over 4 pounds) was boneless, rather than bone-in.

Other than that, the recipe, ingredients and amounts were closely followed, with absolutely great results. I prepared the roast in a large, 13-inch cast-iron skillet and at every stage did my best to maximise flavor, letting the home-grown pork shine with just the right amount of support from the ingredients. The loin roast had a really nice quarter-inch cap of fat on it, which I scored in accordance with the instructions. The spicy, sweet-savory brown sugar baste worked its way throughout the scored surface as it crisped up beautifully, with the excess falling off and becoming part of the aromatic, well-balanced sauce.

Because the roast was lighter (in terms of weight) than that called for in the recipe, I was concerned about the cooking times; however, since it was quite a thick roast, I did follow them. The result was nearly perfect, with just a hint of pink in the middle of the roast, which was very juicy and tender enough to cut with a fork.

As I said before, probably my best preparation yet, in terms of appearance as well as taste, with a well-browned fat cap and smooth, rich sauce. It is regrettable that I didn't have a camera handy, because it came out looking far better than any time before. I don't think I could have asked for a better execution of this recipe, given my substitutions.

This was a true pleasure to prepare and to eat - for someone wanting to take a mini-trip to Jamaica, it is just the right choice! If anyone is interested in trying this, I'd encourage you to go ahead and throw caution to the wind. This unique recipe captures the flavours and spirit of the Caribbean as I think of it, and it makes a fine addition to nearly any table.

Many thanks for taking a look at this, and if you give it a try, enjoy!

Ron

I'm tryin' it !

Let us know what you think of it!

If you have a meat thermometer, it is worth keeping track of the internal temperature. I "eyeballed" it, and it came out great - but that was more through luck than any skill . With these lean cuts of pork it is easy to over cook them.

Looks like another must-try, Tas -- once I get my feet back under me after recent surgery.

Bill,

Hope you're doing OK, what got surgered ?

Bill,how are you doing Amigo? What is your recovery time? Keep us posted. All the best,Randy