We always like to see proposals for family celebrations -even more so now, because Three Kings Day is near!-. Loreto, author of Sabores de Colores , brings us an ideal recipe: a pork loin with a spectacular sauce.

I love these parties, parties where we all gather around the table and share delicacies like the Loin with Brandy that I bring you today. You will see that it can be a delicious proposal for a family meal (I certainly encourage you to try it for the next Three Kings Day if you celebrate it!).

Those of you who know me know that I always try to prepare recipes that are not excessively complicated, so that you are encouraged to prepare them: recipes that will dress your table even more than if you propose to go out to dinner, without it being a world to get into the kitchen. In the kitchen, everything is a matter of what you prepare with a lot of love and present it with a bit of grace.

That is why I propose this loin with a Brandy sauce that you will want to take by the spoonful, because it is a very aromatic creamy sauce, ideal to accompany it with duchesse potatoes or parppardelle with egg.

I have prepared it in the Le Creuset casserole-type cocotte , but the same recipe will be just as delicious in a round or oval cocotte.

Acacia cutting board with T&G painted handle, Pallarès carbon steel knife and Le Creuset saucepan-type cocotte

Ingredients (for 6-8 people)

1 piece of pork loin 1.5 kg.
4 cloves of garlic
10 fresh sage leaves
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 large or 4 small shallots, julienned
500 ml chicken broth
250ml Brandy
100 ml cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon of water
1 tablespoon butter
Olive oil
Pepper
Salt

Elaboration

1. Remove the pork loin from the fridge at least half an hour before preparing it. Salt-pepper and reserve.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter in our Le Creuset low cocotte and brown the pork loin on all sides. Remove to a plate and reserve.

3. Next, add the unpeeled crushed garlic cloves and the aromatics, cook for a few minutes to aromatize the fats, the ideal is to brown everything slightly but be careful not to burn it as they could make the butter and oil bitter. Once it has browned, remove the garlic and aromatics.

4. Add the julienned shallots and poach well over low heat. Once poached, raise the heat and add the Brandy and cook until the alcohol has completely evaporated.

5. Next we add the pork loin and half of the broth. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for approximately 45 minutes or until when you prick the loin in the center we have reached a temperature of 68ºC. Halfway through cooking, we will turn the piece of loin over and add the other half of the broth.

6. Once the cooking time has elapsed, remove the pork loin to a plate, cover with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting it into thin slices.

7. While the loin rests, season the sauce with salt and pepper, add the cream and thicken slightly with cornstarch, mixing it with a little cold water to avoid lumps when adding it to the hot liquid. It is important that the amount of cornstarch is a little to everyone's taste, but be careful that the sauce is not too thick.

8. Once the sauce has the desired texture, serve the loin slices on a tray and cover with the sauce or, if you prefer, served in a sauce boat.

Acacia cutting board with T&G painted handle, Le Creuset saucepan cocotte
and undulating ceramic mold Emile Henry

I recommend that you cut the loin with a very sharp ham knife , as it is more flexible you will get very thin and perfectly cut slices.

Another little trick that I wanted to tell you about is that if the piece of loin is a little dry, you just have to cut it and add the slices to the sauce.

And lastly, remember that once the loin is prepared, if you have any leftovers or you have it prepared in advance, do not heat it: serve it at room temperature and, yes, with the sauce piping hot.

Happy New Year!