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1
Preheat the oven to 350F.
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2
Season the pork with salt and pepper.
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3
Film a roasting pan with the oil and heat over high heat until it is just about at the smoking point.
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4
Sear the pork on all sides until golden, then transfer to the oven and roast, basting frequently with pan juices, until a meat thermometer inserted in the pork indicates a temperature of 160 degrees, about 35 minutes.
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5
Remove the pork from the oven and allow it to rest for about 10 minutes.
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6
Reserve the pan juices.
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7
Heat the pan juices (or oil) in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
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8
Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden.
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9
Add the hard salami, cornichons, and figs, and continue sauteing for 3 minutes.
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10
Season with salt, pepper, and sugar.
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11
Slice the pork in 1-inch slices and arrange on warm plates (over the lentils if you are serving them.
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12
Spoon the topping over the pork and serve.
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13
The meaty aroma in the pork is accented by the aged, slightly funky bouquet of the hard salami.
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14
Its fatty roundness is cut by the tang of the cornichons.
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15
The smooth sweetness of the figs calms down the dish, while onions are a background bulby note, which pulls everything up and adds to the sweetness.
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16
Sharp saltiness and spiciness are tempered by the starch in the lentils, which have a little bright floral sweetness cooked into them.
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17
A meaty bouquet and salt persist at the finish.
