Pork Loin with Roasted Onion-Apricot Rice

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) pieces Vidalia or other sweet onion
• 2 cups (1/2-inch) pieces red onion
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped boiling onion (about 1/2 pound)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (2-pound) lean boned center-cut pork loin roast
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 3 cups hot cooked rice
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.
2. Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; cover with plastic wrap and vent. Microwave at high for 1 1/2 minutes; set aside.
3. Combine onions, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan; stir well to coat. Bake at 450° for 30 minutes on bottom rack of oven.
4. Trim fat from roast; place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Combine cracked black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and crushed garlic; rub over surface of roast. Insert a meat thermometer into thickest part of roast. Stir onions; place roast on next-to-bottom rack in oven. Bake onions and roast at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°. Bake an additional hour, stirring onions after 30 minutes. Stir apricot mixture into onions; continue baking onion mixture and roast 10 minutes or until thermometer reaches 160°. Remove roast and onions from oven. Cover roast loosely with foil; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and remaining ingredients to onion mixture.