Roast Loin of Pork with Baked Apples and Cider Gravy

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the pork roast in a roasting pan with the ribs facing up. In a small bowl, mix the olive oil with the sage and thyme to flavor the oil. Brush the whole pork roast with the "herb bath" and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Roast the pork loin for 2 1/2 hours, until the meat is crackled. (Put the apples in the oven along with the pork roast in the last half hour of cooking.)

Remove the pork roast to a cutting board and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving. Pour out some of the excess fat from the roasting pan and put it on the stove over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour into the hot pan juices, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or whisk to prevent lumps. Cook and stir the roux until its light brown. Add the cider and continue to stir to incorporate. Pour in the chicken broth ; boil and stir for 5 minutes until the sauce is thick; taste and check for salt and pepper. Serve the cider gravy with the pork roast and baked apples.

To make the baked apples: Core the apples with an apple corer , making a good size cavity to hold the stuffing . In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter, muffin crumbs, raisins , sage, garlic, 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar, salt, and pepper. Spoon the sweet and savory stuffing into the cavities of the cored apples; stand them up, side by side, in a baking dish and sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Pour the cider around the apples and bake for 30 to 35 minutes at 375 degrees F, until soft when pierced with a knife. Place the warm apples in the center of a round serving dish. Spoon the cider sauce around the apples and serve with the pork loin.