Green Chile and Apple Pork Roast

4          small green chile peppers (like Anaheim or poblano), about ¾ pound total

1          medium red onion, halved and cut into wedges on the root            (to keep the wedges together)

4          garlic cloves, crushed

2          tablespoons olive oil, divided

1½       teaspoons kosher salt, divided

½         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

1          small green apple, peeled, cored and cut into 8 wedges

8 to 10 medium to large fresh sage leaves

            pinch ground cinnamon

1          boneless pork loin roast, about 3 to 3½ pounds*

Nutritional information per serving:
Calories 276 (47% from fat) • carb. 6g • pro. 30g • fat 14g • sat. fat 3g
• chol. 87mg • sod. 409mg • calc. 22mg • fiber 1g

1. Put the chiles, onion and garlic on the baking pan lined with foil. Toss with 1 tablespoon of the oil and a pinch each of the salt and pepper. Adjust the rack to position 3 and put the chiles in the oven. Select Roast at 425°F for 30 minutes. Press Speed Convection, then Start, to begin roasting. Toss halfway through roasting (the skins of the chiles should be blackened in spots). Remove and carefully transfer to a heatproof bowl and cover tightly with plastic. Allow to cool; reserve.  Keep the foil on the pan; it will be used to roast the pork.

2. Once chiles are cool to the touch, remove the skins and place in a chopper or food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade. Add the roasted onion and garlic, as well as the apple, sage, ¾ teaspoon of the salt, ¼ teaspoon of pepper and cinnamon. Pulse a few times to roughly chop; reserve.

3. To butterfly the pork*, lay the pork out on a clean work surface. Using a sharp slicing knife, butterfly the pork so that you are cutting it to look like an open book. When it is cut once, very carefully cut it an additional time in the same manner. You are essentially doing a double butterfly (halving), of the pork, to make it a long and thin piece. This will make it easier to roll.

4. Evenly distribute the filling on the top of pork, being sure that it is rubbed in well. Starting with one short end, roll tightly, like a jelly roll. Tie tightly with butcher’s twine at 2-inch intervals to keep shape. Coat with the remaining tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Place on the foil-lined baking pan.

5. Adjust the baking rack to position 1. Place the roast in the oven and select Roast at 375°F for 45 minutes. Press Speed Convection, then Start, to begin roasting. The pork is fully cooked when it registers 140°F. Let rest 5 to 10 minutes in oven before slicing and serving.

* We call for a double butterfly of the pork, if you do not feel comfortable doing this, a butcher can butterfly the pork loin for you.