Instant Pot Za’atar Pork Loin with Rosemary Potatoes

I am loving my Instant Pot (but if you follow me on social media or are a member of my group you
already know that!). I can't believe how quickly I got over the scary memories of the pressure cookers from the seventies and eighties. This pork was an improvisation based on the flavours I wanted that day and it turned out really well.

You already have Za'atar from making my flat breads, right? Well, then we are going to give it another use for this pork (and yes you could make them to mop up the sauce). In the meantime, I promise you I now have Sumac in the house and at some point I'll try making my own Za'atar.

Za'atar is a condiment made of dried oregano mixed with sesame seeds,
dried sumac and salt along with other herbs and spices. I use
Waitrose's own label which also contains dried marjoram.

Ready for the recipe?

Instant Pot Za’atar Pork Loin with Rosemary Potatoes

Use one pork loin for 3 people, use 2 pork loins or more for more people. 

For the Rosemary Potatoes

Use the recipe for Roast Baby Potatoes here. For a bigger meal use 1 kg of potatoes and follow the recipe for Roast Baby Potatoes here

- 3 tablespoon vegetable, olive oil or generally oil of your choice
- 500 g Charlotte potatoes, washed, unpeeled
- 1 sprig of rosemary, just the leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, don’t peel them but do give them a bit of a whack with your hand
- 1 cup of vegetable stock
- Sea salt, I use Maldon
- Black pepper

For the Za’atar Pork and Vegetables

- 1 or 2 500g piece(s) of pork loin, depending on how many people you’re feeding, if over 3 people definitely use 2.
- Extra virgin olive oil (or oil of your choice)
- 2 tablespoon Za'atar (double if 2 pork loins and so on)
- 2-3 chopped garlic cloves
- Juice of ¼-1/2 a grapefruit

- 2 medium onions (or 4 small onions)
- 1 medium carrot
- 25 g fresh ginger, peeled

- half red pepper
- half courgette
- handful of fresh parsley

- 50 ml sherry

- 15 g porcini
- 160 ml stock
- black pepper

- 125 g green asparagus tips (you could of course use more!)
- 2 carrots

Method


Rosemary Potatoes

If you are using 1 kg of potatoes prepare them as per the recipe book that comes with the Instant Pot, click here to see it (page 15) I only made 500 g potatoes (with Charlotte spuds) and prepared them this way:

1.
Add oil to the pot, press the Sauté button, when hot add the potatoes garlic and rosemary leaves and brown for a few minutes.

2. 
Once brown, pierce the potatoes in the middle, pour the stock and press the Keep Warm / Cancel button.

3. 
Lock in the lid, make sure the steam release is sealed and press Manual and then press the - (minus) button to programme 11 minutes. You’ll hear the Instant Pot beep and start doing its thing. Let it.

4. 
When it beeps again at the end, press the Keep Warm / Cancel button, cover your hand with a tea towel (if you are still scared of this bit) and do Quick Release by reaching for the steam release from the side and turning it fully counterclockwise.

Important: Save the liquid left in the pot (you will need about 160 ml of it), which is exactly how much I had left!

Za’atar Pork and Vegetables

1.
1 or 2 500g piece(s) of pork loin
Extra virgin olive oil (or oil of your choice)
2 tablespoon Za'atar
2-3 chopped garlic cloves
Juice of ¼-1/2 a grapefruit

Place the pork in a bowl, lightly coat in olive oil and then massage in the garlic and Za’atar, drizzle the grapefruit juice on top. Cover with cling film and let it marinade in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.

2.
While the pork loin is marinating chop by hand or place in Thermie for 5 seconds, speed 5:
2 medium onions (or 4 small onions)
1 medium carrot
25 cm fresh ginger, peeled

Also chop (if using your Thermomix add to the bowl and do 2 seconds, speed 5):
half red pepper
half courgette
handful of fresh parsley

3.
Press Sauté, add some olive oil (or oil of your choice) to the pot and, once hot, fry the marinated pork loin. Brown on all sides. Remove.

4. 
Add 50 ml of sherry, stir.

5. 
Add the 15 g porcini, the 160 ml stock and a few twists of black pepper, stir. Open a gap in the middle and place the pork loin in it. Lock the Instant Pot lid in: Manual, 15 minutes, followed by quick release (remember, just protect your hand, reach the release valve carefully from the side and never the top and turn it fully counterclockwise, easy peasy).

6. 
Open the Instant Pot lid pointing the inside away from you and lifting slowly and only a little bit until you hear the seal break:
125 green asparagus tips
2 carrots, washed and cut in half centimetre to 1 cm coins

Manual, 10 minutes, natural release followed by keep warm if you need to (I did for at least half an hour and it was delicious).

Optional: Blend the sauce at the end but I really liked it chunky because of the various veg and porcini.

I was sent a free Instant Pot to check out before passing on the offer to my Facebook community.