pork ribeye roast with roasted fennel and butternut mash

man, sometimes i want big, juicy prime rib and buttered mashed potatoes...okay, maybe a lot of times. prime rib isn't prime for the pocket book and mashed potatoes is never on our menu (chock full of nuttin'). i made substitutions that make a fine competitor.

pork ribeye roast is super tender and juicy, plus it's super cheap. butternut squash is delicious, sweet, and much better for you than plain ole white potatoes. throw in roasted fennel and you've got a dish that  people pay lot's of money for at a fancy schmancy bistro in austin, tx.


ingredients:
2 lb pork ribeye roast
1 large butternut squash
2 fennel bulbs
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary
2 tbsp finely chopped thyme
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
4 cloves of garlic (minced)
splash of cream
nutmeg

preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

in a small bowl, mix the rosemary, thyme, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. place pork ribeye on a roasting rack that's sitting in a roasting pan. rub herb mixture all over pork. let sit.



rinse the fennel. cut the green stalks off and discard or save for another recipe. half and quarter white fennel bulbs into wedges. toss with a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt, and place under the ribeye roast (or around it if you're not using a roasting rack).

put a pot with a steam basket to boil. peel butternut squash with a vegetable peeler. peel enough rind off so the orange flesh is exposed. cut in half and remove seeds. cut squash into 1 inch cubes. steam for about 20 minutes or until tender.

while squash is steaming place pork ribeye roast on the middle rack in the oven. roast at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes. then, reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees and roast for an additional 30 minutes. remove from oven when it reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit (or up to 155 degrees for well done). let it rest a good 15-20 minutes. resist the urge to cut right in after taking it out of the oven. all of the juices will run out, and you'll have a dry piece of meat.

put steamed butternut squash into a sauce pan and warm over low heat. mash with a potato masher or fork. add a splash of cream and a pinch of salt. for a little yummy warmth, i add a tiny sprinkle of nutmeg. if you don't cook with nutmeg, be careful with it...a little goes a long way!



once pork ribeye roast has rested, carve into 1/4" slices (or thinner or thicker).




serve with the butternut mash and a couple fennel wedges.

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