Roast Pork Loin and Root Vegetables with Cracklings and Italian-Style Salsa Verd

Makes 10 servings; 1 1/4 cups salsa

If you “build” this impressive roast at home, sprinkle each separate part with coarse salt and pepper before tying together. If the butcher does it, season the outside of the assembled roast. Order pork belly from your butcher.

ingredients

Pork and Veggies

1 8-bone pork rib roast (7 to 7 1/2 pounds), chine bone removed, rack of bones cut off in 1 piece and reserved
Coarse kosher salt
1 3- to 4-pound slab pork belly with rind (unsmoked bacon), trimmed to 1/2-inch thickness with rind intact, cut to same lenght as pork roast.
6 fresh rosemary sprigs, divided, plus more for garnish
6 fresh thyme sprigs, divided, plus more for garnish
6 fresh bay leaves, divided
10 medium white-skinned and/or red-skinned potaotes, peeled, halved
4 large parsnips, peeled, each cut diagonally into 3 or 4 long pieces
4 large carrots, peeled, each cut diagonally into 3 or 4 long pieces
3 large turnips, peeled, 1uartered Italian-Style Salsa Verde

Italian-Style Salsa Verde

8 tablespoons olive oil
1 large bunch fresh Italian parsley, stems trimmed
25 large fresh basil leaves
5 canned anchovy fillets
4 fresh tarragon sprigs
2 teaspoons drained capers
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 garlic cove, peeled

directions

Pork and Veggies

1
Arrange rib rack, bone side up, on work surface. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Place pork roast atop rib rack, nestled in curve; sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper. Place pork belly, rind side up, atop pork to cover. Using kitchen string or twine, tie rib rack, pork roast, and pork belly together in several places to secure. Sprinkle assembled pork roast all over with coarse salt and pepper. Tuck 3 rosemary sprigs, 3 thyme sprigs, and 3 bay leaves under string in several places. Place roast, pork belly side up, in large roasting pan. Cut 1/4-inch0deep, 3-inch0long slits in rind of pork belly, down length of roast, spacing cuts 1 inch apart. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
2
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Place vegetables in roasting pan around pork; tuck in 3 rosemary sprigs, 3 thyme sprigs, and 3 bay leaves in several places. Sprinkle vegetables with coarse salt and pepper.
3
Roast pork and vegetables 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Turn vegetables to coat with pan drippings. Continue to roast pork until thermometer inserted straight down from top into center registers 145°F to 150°F, turning and brushing vegetables occasionally with drippings, about 1 hour 25 minutes longer. Let pork rest 30 minutes.
4
Transfer roast to platter; surround with vegetables. Garnish with fresh herb sprigs and serve with salsa verde.

Salsa Verde

1
Combine 8 tablespoons oil and all remaining ingredients in processor. Blend until coarse sauce forms, adding more oil by tablespoonfuls to thin, if desired. Season salsa to taste with salt and pepper.
2
Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.