Roast Pork Loin, Apple and Prune Stuffing
Serves 6 to 8
One 6 lb. boneless pork loin
2 medium leeks
5 apples
¼ cup lemon juice
10 pitted prunes
3 fresh rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
2 tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt & pepper
Make a pocket slit into the center of the loin, with a long sharp knife. Do not let the knife cut through the other end of the pork; feel it with your finger when you are close to the end. This is how you will stuff the pork.
Take the leeks and remove the very green tops, cut into ½-inch dice, and place in a bowl of cold water to clean. The leeks will float and the dirt and sand will sink to the bottom of the bowl. Remove the leeks with a skimmer to drain.
Peel the apples with a peeler or knife and cut into eighths. Remove the core, cut again into four pieces, and toss in a bowl with lemon juice.
Cut the prunes in half.
Chop the rosemary leaves very fine.
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan, add the leeks, and cook for 1 minute until tender. Add the garlic, apples, prunes, rosemary, and cinnamon. Cook approximately 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, transfer back to a bowl, and cool completely.
Preheat the oven to 400º. Place the cold stuffing into a pastry bag with a large opening at its tip. Put the tip of the pastry bag into the pocket of the pork loin and squeeze some stuffing into the pork. Remove the bag and, using a stick rolling pin wrapped in plastic, pack the filling tightly into the pocket. Repeat this process with the pastry bag and rolling pin until the loin is completely stuffed. Tie with butcher’s twine and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a roasting pan large enough to hold the roast. Place the meat fat side down and place in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Check that it is browning evenly, turn the heat down to 350º, and let roast another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest about 20 minutes before removing string and slicing.
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