New Year's Eve eats: Mustard-glazed pork loin and more

Combine all ingredients and reserve in refrigerator. Add 1.5 to 2 ounces of white rum to a 14-ounce tall Tom Collins glass with ice. Next, add 8 ounces of punch base, dump into a tumbler and shake.

Next, pour all contents back into the glass and finish with a splash of Cava or Champagne. The punch base will make approximately 15 to 16 drinks.

Place the salt, honey and hot water for the brine together in a 12-quart metal stock pot and whisk until the salt and honey have dissolved into the water. Once mixed together, add the cold water and pork loins (trussed with butcher’s twine), cover with a lid and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours. 

Set oven to 425 degrees. After the pork has brined for 8 to 10 hours, remove the pork and, without rinsing, place on the rack inside of a roasting pan with 1 quart of water added to the basin of the pan. Place roasting pan on the center rack of the oven and cook for 10 minutes.

While cooking, create the glaze by combining the mustard, honey and water in a mixing bowl. To avoid cross-contamination, separate the glaze into two reserves: one for basting during the cooking process and one to finish.

Next, without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and continue to cook for 10 minutes. After the 10 minutes, open the oven door and generously brush the first reserve of glaze onto the loin using a pastry brush. Close the oven and continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until your pork loin reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees. This will achieve a medium-done pork with a pink center. For medium-well, continue to cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Allow the pork loin to rest for 15 minutes prior to removing the butcher’s twine. While the pork loin is resting, add the final reserve of glaze with a spoon. After the 15 minutes, remove the twine with shears or scissors.

For assembly: Using a slicing knife, cut the loin to preferred thickness and serve. Whole roasted crab apples or apple butter are great accents and garnish for this beautiful pork loin. 

For pudding:

Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, cocoa and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring the milk to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and whisk a little at a time into the egg mixture. Once the bottom of the bowl is warm, slowly whisk in the remaining hot milk. Pour the mixture back into a clean medium saucepan (cleaning the saucepan prevents the pudding from scorching), add the vanilla and whisk over medium-low heat until it thickens, 3 to 4 minutes. Cook while constantly whisking until the pudding is glossy and quite thick, 1.5 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pudding to a clean bowl.

Add the chopped chocolate and the butter and gently whisk until the chocolate is completely incorporated. Press a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Before serving, whisk the pudding until it is soft and smooth, about 30 seconds. Divide into custard cups or martini glasses and serve, topped with broken pieces of peanut brittle (see recipe below). The pudding will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, with plastic wrap intact.

For peanut brittle:

Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a silicone baking sheet, a Silpat mat or the back of a rimmed baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of the butter and set aside. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the peanuts on top and roast until glossy and fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, stir the sugar, corn syrup and water together in a heavy-bottomed pot or large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture reaches 300 degrees. Immediately remove from the heat and, using a heatproof rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, vanilla, baking soda, salt and peanuts.

Immediately pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and, using the spatula, spread it as thinly as possible. Cool for 30 minutes and then, using a rolling pin, the back of a metal spoon or your hands, break the brittle into rough, craggy pieces. The brittle will keep for up to a few weeks in an airtight container.