Pork Roast with Garlic-Parmesan Cream

Not the most photogenic dish, but damn it was good!

Ingredients

• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 head of garlic, peeled, but leave cloves whole
• One 3-ounce Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
• 2 small sage sprigs
• One 5-pound, boneless pork rib roast
• Kosher salt
• Pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 4 medium fennel bulbs (3 pounds), trimmed and cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a dutch oven.  Season pork with salt and pepper.  Sear pork over high heat (3-4 minutes per side).  Add a small amount of cream to deglaze the pot, scraping up the brown bits.  Add the cream, remaining buttermilk, garlic, cheese rind and 1 sage sprig. Bring to a simmer. Preheat oven to 350.  Cover and bake for 3 1/2 hours, until very tender. Transfer the pork and garlic to a large plate; discard the cheese rind.
2. Boil the poaching liquid over moderately high heat, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 20 minutes. Strain the sauce into a bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper; keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450°. On a large baking sheet, toss the fennel and the remaining sage sprig with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the fennel in a single layer. Place the pork on top of the fennel and roast until the pork is deeply golden and the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and let rest for 15 minutes.
4. Thinly slice the pork. Arrange the fennel and garlic on a platter and top with the pork. Garnish with parsley and serve the sauce on the side.

ADAPTED FROM Food & Wine - http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-roast-with-garlic-parmesan-cream