I know, I know.   I’ve just done a pork dish but this roast called our name as we passed the traiteur section in the supermarket.   I had planned to roast a chicken but it will have to wait until Monday.  I think it was the novelty of the cheese slices that bewitched us.

Now how am I supposed to cook this?   You see that’s what my neighbor, M. Parret is always on about.   If I had bought this in the market from a “diplomaed traiteur,” I would have been personally handed this roast, along with minute, verbal instructions for its preparation. Instead of, unrepentant American that I am,  waiting for market day, I just had to go to the supermarket, buy a prepackaged (by god knows who) piece of meat and guess how to cook it.   Blah, blah, blah M. Parret, blah, blah, blah old school; I’ve got internet.  He’s right about the butter, though.

These are like flowers

Roti de Porc Fume au Fromage (Smoked Pork Roast with Cheese)

1 1/2 lb Uncooked smoked pork roast

12 slices of Gouda or Emmenthal cheese

3 large cloves of garlic, slivered

1 tbsp butter

1 cup or more of grated Emmenthal cheese

Salt and pepper

To prep a roast like this, buy a one and one half pound smoked, uncooked pork roast and slice it into 6 pieces, stopping about 1/2 inch short of the bottom so that the slices are still attached. Place 3 slices of cheese(gouda or Emmenthal should work) in each cut. Alternatively, you could go to a butcher and show him the picture.  Why not?

Butter

Sliver 3 large cloves of garlic and distribute them in the cuts, alongside the cheese.   Butter your baking pan, then place the roast inside.   Salt and pepper, then sprinkle the roast with about 1 cup of grated cheese.  Cover with aluminum foil (make sure that the foil doesn’t touch the roast) or if your baking pan has a cover, use that.  Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Braised Red Endive

4 endives

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp thyme

Salt and pepper

Chopped parsley

Cut the endives in half lengthwise and sprinkle with the thyme, pepper and salt.   Melt the butter in a large saute pan and place the endives, cut side down, in the pan.   Cover the pan and cook on a  low flame for 20 minutes.  Turn endives over with tongs and cook uncovered, at high heat for 1 minute.   Transfer to a serving dish, cut side up,  and sprinkle with parsley.