Marinaded Pork Loin with Roasted Spicy Lemon Cauliflower

It was a freezer-clearing day yesterday in our household as we tried to winnow down the ingredients clogging up our freezer. And the ingredient we used was a pork loin that's been busy keeping cool for the past couple of months.

So we took out that poor, lonely pork loin and pondered. And Melissa dreamed of some spices and citrus mingling together. So, in a zip-top baggie, we poured some orange juice, cumin, chili powder, maple syrup, hot sauce, cinnamon, oregano and salt and pepper. Then we let the pork sit in with its new-found flavor friends for an hour or two.

After waking it up, it was on to get a nice pan sear before hitting the oven:



Then, it was off to work on the cauliflower. One head yielded enough to nearly fill a baking sheet, and we added some lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper. Then it, too, went into the oven (about 15 minutes before the pork).


Then it was time to eat. The marinade provided a nice seared outside with meat that was perfectly cooked. And the cauliflower had a good zing and smoky flavors with a hint of the lemon.



Marinaded Pork Loin with Roasted Spicy Lemon Cauliflower
1 pound pork loin
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
cumin
chili powder
hot sauce
cinnamon
oregano
salt
pepper
1 head cauliflower
lemon juice
olive oil
2 cloves garlic
cumin
chili powder
salt
pepper

1. In a zip-top bag, combine the orange juice, cumin, chili powder, maple syrup, hot sauce, cinnamon, oregano and salt and pepper. Add the pork loin and let marinade for a couple of hours in the fridge.

2. Roughly chop cauliflower and spread evenly on a baking sheet.

3. Add lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, cumin, chili powder and salt and pepper.

4. Place in the 400-degree oven for about 30 minutes.

5. Remove pork from marinade and sear on top, bottom and all sides.

6. Place in a 9-inch baking dish and put in the oven for about 45 minutes.