Pork Loin Stuffed With Prunes Food

APPLE AND PRUNE STUFFED PORK LOIN

Steps:

• Coat a large saute pan lightly with olive oil. Add the bacon and bring the pan to a medium heat. When the bacon is crispy and has released a lot of fat, add the onions and season with salt. Cook the onions until they are soft and aromatic, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the apples, prunes, and half the chopped rosemary. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until they start to soften, about 5 minutes. Pull the pan off the heat and add the brandy. Return to the fire and flambe, or let the alcohol just burn off. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Lay out a length of plastic wrap about 2-feet in length. Spoon the apple mixture onto the plastic and make a log down the center that is about the same length as the pork loin. Roll the plastic tightly around the apple mixture and twist at the ends to secure. The log should be about 1- inch in diameter. Place the log in the freezer and let it freeze solid. This can and should be done ahead of time.
• To stuff the pork: Insert a long, thin knife into the center of one end of the pork loin; repeat this process at the other end. Wiggle the knife back and forth to create a place big enough to accommodate your frozen stuffing log. After cutting with the knife, you can use the handle of a long wooden spoon to make sure the incision goes all the way through the pork loin.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Get the stuffing log from the freezer and remove the plastic wrap. Slide the stuffing log through the pork loin - it might need a little encouragement but it should go the length of the loin. Season the outside of the pork generously with salt and sprinkle it with the remaining chopped rosemary.
• Coat a roasting pan with olive oil and bring the pan to a high heat. Add the pork to the pan and sear it on all sides until it is brown.
• Remove the pork to a plate and ditch the fat in the roasting pan. Add the pork back to the pan pour in the chicken stock. Place it in the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, depending on how you like your pork. I personally like it pinker and would remove it from the oven when a meat thermometer reaches 130 degrees F. Turn it over halfway through the cooking time. Remove it from the oven, cover it with foil, and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving.

PORK ROAST STUFFED WITH APRICOTS AND PRUNES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Clean pork loin removing any excess fat. butterfly the pork loin (1/2-inch thick). Lay the pork, cut-side up, season with salt and pepper, and rub liberally with the apricot chutney.
• Place a layer of apricots and prunes on the flattened loin. Roll tightly and tie with twine at 1/2-inch intervals. Place the pork in a roasting pan fitted with a rack and season with salt and pepper. Roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 145 to 150 degrees F, about 15 minutes per pound. Transfer the pork to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

PORK LOIN STUFFED WITH DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the raisins, prunes and apricots in a small bowl; pour in the brandy. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave until hot, about 2 minutes. Set aside until the dried fruit is plump, at least 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and apple and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, sage, 1 teaspoon rosemary, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook until the garlic is softened, about 1 minute. Add the dried fruit?brandy mixture and cook until the skillet is dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth and simmer until the mixture is very soft and the skillet is almost dry, about 5 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Push the handle of a wooden spoon into the center of one end of the pork roast; work the handle through the length of the roast to create a tunnel, widening the tunnel with your fingers or a small paring knife until about 1 1/2 inches wide.
• Stuff the dried fruit mixture into the tunnel, firmly pressing to make sure it?s packed into the pork roast. Rub the outside of the pork roast with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. If the pork has a skinny flap that runs along one side, tuck it under and tie kitchen twine around the pork in a few spots.
• Set a rack in a large roasting pan. Place the pork on the rack and roast until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the center registers 140 degrees F, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 1/2 hours. Let the pork rest at least 20 minutes before slicing.

PORK LOIN STUFFED WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Soak prunes in wine, if you wish, for as long as possible. Drain prunes, reserving wine. With a long sharp knife, make a slit in the center of the loin and stuff it with prunes (reserve prunes that won't fit into pork).
• In a large casserole heat butter. When foaming subsides add the onion or leek, celery and carrot. Cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove them with a slotted spoon and reserve for later. Add vegetable oil to the casserole and heat. When hot, add the loin and brown on all sides, including the ends. When pork is browned, remove it to a plate. Discard all fat from the casserole, but leave behind any drippings. Return cooked vegetables to the bottom of the casserole. Add the meat on top and add any prunes which didn't fit into the loin.
• Cover loin with reserved white wine you soaked the prunes in, broth, bay leaf and garlic. Put a lid on casserole and set in oven. Cook for 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours or until pork juices run a clear yellow (difference in time depends on how thick the loin is; internal temp is 165 degrees). Remove casserole from oven and remove the pork and let rest while you make the sauce. Strain the juices into a "degreasing" cup or heat-resistant cup. Discard aromatic vegetables and prunes. The fat will rise above the juices; discard it. Return juices to casserole and boil down until thickened. Finish with a tablespoon of butter or not as you wish. Slice pork into thin slices, serve with saffron rice, sugar snap peas and spoon sauce over the top.

PRUNE STUFFED PORK ROAST WITH BROWNED POTATOES, SWEDISH STYLE

Steps:

• Wash and pare potatoes. Cut into slices, 1/8 inch thick, down through the top of each potato, being careful not to cut through to the bottom, leaving the bottom intact. Place in ice water to chill for about 1 hour, while you get everything else ready.
• Wipe the pork with damp paper towels; trim off excess fat.
• Preheat oven to 350*F. With a long narrow, sharp knife, starting at each end pierce through to center of roast. Using fingers, push fruit into the holes to completely fill. Rub roast on all sides with half a lemon. sprinkle with salt, pepper and ginger.
• Place fat side up, in shallow roasting pan without rack. Pork will rest on bones. Pour beef broth around. Cover the pan with foil or a tight fitting lid and roast, covered, for 30 minutes.
• Remove from oven. Drain and dry potatoes.
• Melt butter with paprika. Roll dry potatoes in this twice, then place in roasting pan around the roast. Pour remaining paprka butter over potatoes. Roast, uncovered, basting every half hour with pan drippings. (add water if needed).
• Roast 1 hour 20 minutes, or until thermometer registers 175*F. Remove roast and potatoes to heated platter; keep warm in a low oven.
• Make a gravy by pouring pan drippings into a two cup measure. Skim off fat, reserving 2 TBS. Put the 2 TBS fat into roasting pan. Stir in the flour and ginger until smooth. Cook stirring over low heat to brown the flour slightly. Add water to the pan drippings to make 1 1/4 cup and gradually stir into the flour mixture along with the milk; bring to boiling, stirring until thickened.
• Serve with the roasted pork and potatoes for a really special meal.

PRUNE-STUFFED PORK ROAST

Steps:

• MAKE THE PORK:.
• Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
• Cut away the excess fat from the pork roast, leaving a thin layer of fat on top.
• Mix marjoram and ginger together in a small bowl.
• Poke holes about 1 1/2" deep all over the pork roast, then use something like the handle of a wooden spoon to make holes wider. Stuff 1 or 2 prune quarters, half a garlic clove, and a large pinch of the marjoram/ginger mixture into each hole.
• Mix the remaining marjoram/ginger mixture with caraway seeds, salt, and pepper.
• Rub roast with olive oil, then rub the seasoning mixture over roast.
• Place in roasting pan and roast for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 35O°F and continue roasting for 40 minutes to 1 hour longer, until the center of the roast reaches 150°to 155°F on kitchen thermometer.
• Transfer roast to cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let sit while you prepare the sauce.
• MAKE THE SAUCE:.
• Set roasting pan over medium-high heat and deglaze pan with wine or other liquid, scraping up the browned bits in the bottom of the pan.
• Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and ginger and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add prunes, stock, vinegar, and deglazing liquid, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly reduced. Whisk in butter, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.
• Cut roast into thick slices and arrange them on a servind dish. Spoon some of the sauce over the meat, and pass the remaining sauce at the table.