Come here Friday and give me a hug! Ahhhh thank you. Happy Friday to you!
After visiting the new local market last week, I left with a nice pork roast that I was planning to roast for sandwiches, stir-fry and whatever else rolled through my brain. This dish was an ad hoc lunch prepared in less than 15 minutes on Saturday afternoon.
A couple of days prior, I slow cooked the pork roast for about 8 hours with a combination of Apricot Jam, Rosemary and splash of apple juice. To say the least – the meat was amazing! So tender, juicy and full of flavor.
Ingredients (Pork Roast)
- Pork Roast
- 1/2 Cup Apricot Jam
- 1 Tbsp. Dried Rosemary
- 3 Tbsp. Apple Juice
Method
- Add all ingredients to the slow cooker and set to low and cook for 8 hours. Your final roast should look similar to this below. Oh so good!
Ingredients (Pasta Dish)
- 2 Cups cooked Pork Roast
- 1 Cup Button Mushrooms
- 1 Cup Broccoli
- 1 Cup Baby Spinach
- 1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts
- 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese
- 2 Cups Spiral Pasta
- 1 Tbsp. Hoisin Sauce
- 2 Tsp. Soy Sauce
- 1 Clove Garlic
- 1 Tbsp. Ginger
- 2 Tbsp. Orange Juice
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
Method
- Preheat Large Pan on Medium- High Heat and add olive oil.
- Add pork pieces and mushrooms, sautee for 3-4 minutes until the pork and mushrooms caramelize.
- Add Ginger and Garlic, Cook for 3 more minutes
- Add Soy Sauce and Hoisin Sauce
- Add Orange Juice and Broccoli – stirring to coat the broccoli ( be sure to add a sprinkle of salt on the broccoli to ensure it stays bright green.
- Add Spinach – cook for 1 minute while stirring ( If you find the hoisin sauce is sticking to the pan which is quite possible due to all the sugars – add a tablespoon of hot water to the hot pan and de-glaze the pan and get all those great flavors.
- Add Walnuts and cooked spiral pasta (you can use whatever pasta you have on hand as well).
- Plate and top with Feta Cheese.
- Enjoy!
As part of the zesty tradition, I can’t wait to hear what people both think of this recipe as it is so simple but quite tasty and also what’s your favorite type of pasta. Again happy Friday and I hope you have a great weekend.
Take care
Zesty
{ 32 comments… read them below or add one }
Wonderful combination of flavors! I love this recipe!
Apricots and pork are so delicious together. And feta! What a great idea
Lovely combination apart from feta. No cheese with this dish for me…
This looks delicious!
Looks tasty!
Looks great, Zesty! And that pork roast is making me drool.
+Jessie
a.k.a. The Hungry Mouse
Never used apricot jam on pork, always on chicken. I love how this turned out.
mmmm…this looks fabulous
I love sweet+savory combos. Can’t wait to try it when I get home next week! Thanks for another great recipe 
-emily
(MyricaRubra/ChicagoDining/Wheatberry)
That looks awesome. I’m with emily, sweet and savory is a great combo.
What a unique set of flavors! Sadly, hubby doesn’t like sweet meat, but I’ll have to get a smaller roast for me!
Cavatappi is my favorite pasta – I love how it holds sauces!
Happy Monday Zesty!
Wow…the pot roast looks great. I think I’ll try this out next week. Thanks for sharing.
This looks delicious. Apricot and pork match so well together!
This looks so colorful and delicious.
Great crockpot recipe! I think I’ll give it a whirl tomorrow!
Feta with asian flavoured veggies? Hmmm…that sounds different. But it looks mighty tasty.
I NEVER would have thought to combine these flavors. I LOVE feta too! I’ll have to give it a shot.
Oh, and probably Rotini. I’m HUGE on cold pasta salads and Rotini makes the best.
Arika
My Yummy Life
i’m not a huge fan of pork, but i have to say this looks quite tasty – it’s so creative!
The roast looks perfect. I retired my slow cooker for the summer – this looks like the perfect inaugural dish for fall. I like this combo for pasta – and it’s a great technique. I’ll try something similar with the leftover chicken I have in the fridge today.
oh my god that pasta dish looks incredible!! Roast pork is so delicious, and I never think to make it! Good call, and I really want to make this soon.
Thanks everyone for your nice comments. I hope everyone who tries this little gem enjoys it. I would love to hear how it goes.
Keep me posted.
zesty
Zesty,
I am so glad you found my blog and that you liked it!(and my crazy videos too)!!!
Stop back by anytime!
Love your quick dinner!
Also LOVE the slow roasting of ANY meat!
Zesty,
I love the addition of apricot preserves.
Beautiful pork dish!
Stacey
Great idea Zesty, I love all the unique additions to this dish.
What a great recipe. I love the combination of flavors used. This is my kind of meal.
Hello oh mine… This dish really looks delicious and in the initial pictures, it looks like a Chinese cuisine and at the end, it turns out to be a pasta!
This dish look delicious and I love the apricot. I must tag as a favorite and try it sometime.
Meseidy
Accidents are Avoidable?
It looks very tasty and full of flavor! Spiral pastas are on of my faves, little bits of food get stuck in the spirals, YUM!
I’m making this for the second time. The first time was good nut not perfect; I thought the dish was lacking in sauce- a bit dry. I’m trying it again, this time with a “saucier” approach. I’m not sure exactly what, but it needs something more to sick to the pasta and to bind the flavors together. I’ll let you know how it turns out, and what I try when I’m done (if it’s any good;-))
This sounds SO SO SO amazing!!!!!!! Saving to make soon!
MMMM…another one from the Zesty Archive – LOVED it! This recipe seriously made my mouth water. I have never tried slow cookie a pork roast like this but I have a pork loin. I think I NEED to try your version.
I LOVE using curly que pasta
And yes, that’s a REAL name for it 
Happy Friday!
This looks really good. What can I use in place of apple juice?
Just saw this recipe – great idea, and great combination of ingredients! I may take your Friday recipe and make it my Monday dish
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