| Ingredients | Weight | Measure |
| BRINING SOLUTION: | | |
| Cranberry juice | | 11/2 qts. |
| Cranberry vodka | | 6 oz. |
| Salt | | 9 Tbsp |
| Center cut pork rack, frenched | 8-9 lb. | |
| CRANBERRY PASTE: | | |
| Dried cranberries, pureed in blender with a little water until smooth | | 4 oz. |
| PECAN CRUST: | | |
| Pecans, toasted, ground | | 8 oz. |
| Plain bread crumbs | | 8 oz. |
| Clarified butter, divided | | 3 oz. |
| Fresh thyme leaves, chopped | | 2 oz. |
| WILTED SPINACH: | | |
| Extra virgin olive oil | | 6 Tbsp |
| Garlic, blanched, sliced | | 6 cloves |
| Loose leaf spinach, washed | | 3 lb. |
| Salt | | To taste |
| SAVORY APPLE TART: | | |
| Granny Smith apples | | 2 |
| Butter, softened | | 3 Tbsp. |
| Salt and granulated sugar | | To taste |
| Heavy cream | | 1 cup |
| Puff pastry dough | | 1 cup |
| Thyme sprig | | 1 |
| For Brining Solution: |
| Combine juice, vodka and salt. Cover pork with cranberry liquid. Refrigerate overnight. |
| For Pecan-Crusted Rack of Pork: |
| Combine pecans, crumbs, 11/2 oz. butter and thyme. After the pork has been brined, remove from the liquid and pat dry. Discard liquid. Heat a large saute pan until hot, add 11/2 oz. clarified butter and sear the rack of pork on both sides. Place the pork on a meat rack. Spread the cranberry paste on the pork and then top with pecan crust. Cover with foil and bake at 325F for about 11/2 hours or until 140F. Remove foil about 10-15 minutes before pork is done to brown the pecan crust. Allow pork to rest 15 minutes before slicing. |
| For Wilted Spinach: |
| Heat two large saute pans until hot. Divide oil and garlic between them. Add half of spinach to each, season with salt, and cook until just wilted. Serve immediately. |
| For Savory Apple Tart: |
| Peel and dice one apple and sautŽ in 3 Tbsp. butter. Season with salt and sugar. Add cream and reduce by 3/4. Puree until very smooth. Using a cookie cutter, cut out 8 circles from the puff pastry dough. Parbake pastry. Spread some of the apple cream on top of each pastry round. Peel and slice remaining apple and fan slices, on top of puff pastry. Brush with butter and sprinkle with salt and sugar. Bake at 350F for 15 minutes. Brush with butter and sprinkle with additional sugar and broil for one minute until surface is caramelized. |
| To serve: |
| When ready to serve, slice rack of pork into 8 portions and place each on a plate. Arrange each plate with spinach and apple tart. Sauce each plate with cranberry pork jus. |
