Recipes | Dijon & Thyme Roasted Pork Loin | Dijon, Horseradish Mustard & Dill Potato Salad

       Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day!  Keith took Erich to work with him and I played in my flower garden for over three hours.  My hydrangeas wintered over well and they have lots of new growth.  I trimmed the thyme and got rid of a lot of leaves that were stuck in the lavender.  I noticed the bunnies have been nibbling on my hostas.   Bad bunnies!
       For dinner I made a center pork loin roast, roasted asparagus, and my favorite potato salad with Dijon and horseradish mustard with fresh dill.  I get asked to bring this potato salad to family gatherings because it's so yummy.

 

                                                       Dijon & Thyme Roasted Center Pork Loin

Preheat oven 325*F

1    3-5 pound center cut pork loin roast

meat thermometer

1/2 cup  mayonnaise (I use Hellman's)
2 Tablespoon Maille Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic finely minced
2 teaspoons finely minced shallot
leaves removed from 2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper to season the outside of pork loin

Mince garlic and shallot.  Remove leaves from fresh thyme.  In a small bowl combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard.  Add minced garlic, shallot and thyme to mixture and stir.

Pat pork loin with paper towel to dry outer surface.  Place pork loin on a wire rack in a shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle with Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  With spatula spread mustard mixture on top and sides of pork loin.  Place baking dish with pork loin in a preheated 325*F oven and insert meat thermometer and roast approximately 1 3/4 to 2 1/2 hours with an internal temperature on removal from oven of 170* F.
Cover with foil and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Dijon, Horseradish Mustard & Dill Potato Salad

3  pounds baby Yukon gold potatoes

1  cup mayonnaise (I use Hellmann's)

2  Tablespoons Maille Dijon mustard

2   Tablespoons French's Horseradish mustard

3   Tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1/4  cup chopped celery

2  Tablespoons chopped shallot

1  teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2  freshly ground black pepper

Paprika for garnish

Peel Yukon gold potatoes and cut into approximately 1 inch cubes,  place in a large saucepan of salted water.  Bring to boiling and cook potatoes until tender--- drain well.

Measure mayonnaise, mustard, salt, pepper and stir together in a small bowl.  Chop dill, celery, and shallots. 

Add mayonnaise mixture with cooked potatoes in large bowl.  Stir in chopped dill, celery and shallots.  Transfer to serving bowl.  Sprinkle paprika on top and garnish with  sprig of dill and celery leaves if desired.  

      Oh My, there's nothing like the first batch of potato salad after a long, cold winter!  What is even better?  Being able to eat dinner outside on the patio!  Oh yeah, Baby!  And I managed to play in my garden again after church this morning.  Yay!  It looks like my plants grew over-night!  Now I can't wait until I can go 'flower shopping'.  It's been perfect all weekend in south-east Michigan.  It's so nice to have the windows open, and listening to the birdies chirping to one another makes me happy. 

      Hope that the weather is as lovely where you are as it has been here.

                                                                     ~Marcie