Pork Loin Roast with Roasted Beets and Potatoes

I only have my mother to thank for preventing this meal from being a disaster, and embarrassing me in front of a new foreign friend (well it wouldn’t have been that bad). After my “great” experience at the Whole Foods meat counter, I told my mom what I was planning to make for my first roast. She then instructed me, and consulted Julia Child that a chuck roast is not meant to be roasted in the oven, but braised or stewed slowly for a long long time, and would be more like pulled pork. This was not going to work for me. I wasn’t about to make stew. That’s for November. So I panicked a little, and quickly found that a bone in pork roast would suffice, for about the same price. So, the chuck went into the freezer for a cold gray winter dinner, and I used Jamie Oliver’s marinade for a pork roast instead. Crisis averted. The beets were great, and I also added some roasted potatoes. I boiled the beets first for about 50 minutes, peeled the skins off, then threw them in with the potatoes, thyme, balsamic vinegar, and oil, salt and pepper then popped them in the oven with the roast for 45 or so minutes. The roast was simple, and I used Jamie’s marinade of anchovy fillets in oil (6), 6 garlic cloves, rosemary, and olive oil, salt and pepper. I mashed everything in a mortar and it made a nice salty crust outside the roast. All in all, a great success. The Brit was very satisfied, and there was much drinking and merriment. Just beware: make sure you know what meat you’re getting, and don’t always rely on the false perception that people that work at a meat counter know anything about meat. Thanks mom.