Herb Crusted Pork Roast

We are definitely pals of pork. Being Filipino, pork is one meat that we love and use a great deal in our cuisine. Even outside of Filipino cooking, I love a simple roast pork that requires very little effort to make. This recipe for an Herb Crusted Pork Roast involves creating a fresh herb paste to coat the roast and then seasoned breadcrumbs to give it a crunchy crust. Once it's finished baking, you've got yourself a delicious roast dinner perfect for company...

The blend of parsley or basil, thyme, and rosemary are so common in cooking because together they just taste so well together. In this recipe, a paste is made similar to how a classic pesto recipe. The herbs are added to a food processor with Parmesan cheese, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. This paste is then rubbed on the roast to give it some flavor. For a nice crust, seasoned Panko breadcrumbs are used, which have been tossed with olive oil, Parmesan cheese and a minced shallot. The best part of making this dish is that it doesn't require much effort, yet it tastes as if you slaved all day. Perfect for a nice dinner or even for company, you'll appreciate how quick it is to make!

Herb Crusted Pork Roast
recipe adapted from Cooks Illustrated

2-3 lb pork loin roast
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 medium shallot, minced
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus an additional 2 teaspoons
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley or basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack in the middle, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, minced shallot, 1 tablespoon of olive oil, pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Using a fork, toss the mixture until the breadcrumbs are evenly coated with oil.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the parsley (or basil), thyme, rosemary, garlic, remaining Parmesan cheese, garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Process until smooth, about 10-12 1-second pulses.

Rob the outside of the roast with this herb paste and coat with the breadcrumb mixture. Place the roast in the prepared wire rack and baking sheet.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50-75 minutes or until the thickest part of the roast registers 145 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Allow the roast to rest for 10 minutes before cutting and serving.