Greek Stuffed Prosciutto & Fig Jam Pork Roast with a Port Wine Reduction Sauce
I have been anxious to share this recipe with you for several reasons. For one, it's delicious! But, I also needed time to decipher my notes, after making this. This is something I created based on a craving for fig jam and inspiration from what was in my refrigerator. Humbly said, this turned out to be so delicious, that I wanted to write down how I did it and I needed time to edit the photos. At last, here it is-- and I think think this is is worthy for serving to dinner guests. Actually, that's exactly what I did!
Ask your butcher to butterfly a pork loin roast-- this one weighed about 3 pounds. NOTE: My butcher botched the job a bit, so I had to use tooth picks to patch it up. Arrrgh.
I went to grab a jar of my homemade fig jam, and then I spotted a jar of Dalmatia Fig Spread that I had completely forgotten about! I took a taste, and my eyes rolled. This product is amazing! While I like my own version, I decided to use this brand (making a mental note to buy more of this).
Excitedly, I seasoned the pork with kosher salt & fresh cracked pepper, an even layer of fig spread and a smattering of sliced garlic-- 2 cloves to be specific. NOTE: Next time, I think I'll use one clove, so the garlic doesn't overpower the rest of the flavors...your choice.
Prosciutto is a staple in my refrigerator (as is Pancetta). I added an even layer of this...
One of the wonderful features of my new refrigerator is the deli drawer. We love cheese, and I try to keep a variety on hand. I rummaged around, and underneath all of this I found this cheese (Mt. Vikos) that I bought at Trader Joe's...
I must buy this wonderful cheese again! It's delicious, and I started doing a happy dance. I was on to something...
When I think of Feta Cheese, I think of spinach. Unfortunately, I didn't have fresh spinach but I did find a bag of frozen chopped spinach. Here's a little tip on how I do a quick thaw and squeeze out the excess water-- which is a very important step to do!
I rinse the frozen spinach with hot water, drain it, then I use a potato ricer (you can use a clean tea towel instead). The potato ricer easily squeezes out all of the water. So now I'm ready for the last layer of flavor...
I can still remember how all of these flavors worked together! Prep time took about 30 minutes, if I deduct the time to photograph all of the steps. Many of you know are nodding your heads?
I carefully rolled the stuffed pork loin roast-- and I smiled! This looks so promising, don't you think?
I've lost count of how many times I've watched the "pros" tie a roast with one piece of string. I can't do it (yet), so I borrowed Craig's thumb and managed to tie it up just fine. There! Now, it's time to sear the roast...
Those of you who have followed my recipes for a while (and I thank you and appreciate that), know that I am a big fan of searing meat. I love pan sauces and I love that beautiful crust that searing does, before braising or roasting. For those of you who say you can't sear... there are just a few simple tips:
Make sure the meat is dry.
The oil (I use olive oil) needs to be HOT...shimmering hot, but not smoking yet!
When you add the meat, you want that chhhhhhh sound and leave it alone! Don't touch it for at least 3 minutes!
Look at that beautiful golden crust. Yes, that's what you want! I did all of these steps the day before our dinner guests were arriving. This was on a Sunday, and our guests were arriving on a Monday night-- after a long day at the office. So, I bravely did an experiment. Once the meat was seared, I cooled it in the pan-- then covered the pan and refrigerated this overnight. Brave, huh? On Monday, I asked my husband to remove the pan and bring it to room temperature for an hour. That's when I arrived home, and found my husband and our guests waiting for me!
Roasted at 425F for about 45 minutes (internal temperature at 165F) and let this rest for about 15 minutes. Now, for a pan sauce...
I have to say that photographing what I cook, with non food blogger dinner guests, is a challenge. I could hear "Lou" laughing at me, in the background. So, this is the only photo of the pan sauce that you will see! Basically, I added Ruby Red Port Wine to the pan drippings, and then some chicken stock. This was cooked on high heat and reduced to about half. I made roasted asparagus and a beautiful salad (which I will upload next). NOTE: I run a spatula through the pan sauce. If it leaves a trail, then I know it's ready to have a pat of unsalted butter whisked in and it's ready to go!
Dinner accomplished, and I was both relieved and delighted with the flavors! So were our lovely guests.
The only change I plan to make, next time, is to use less garlic. I love garlic, but I think that one sliced clove would have been just right. But, that's me! The pan sauce was perfect! This is so simple, once you prepare the layers of flavor. It's so worth it, and this just might be our Christmas Eve dinner.
By the way-- since I had to wait 24 hours to eat this dinner, I made a quick snack of the feta cheese and fig spread . Divine!
So, it's Saturday and it's Christmas tree decoration day-- and I'm on vacation! I hope the rest of your are racing to the finish line. I've just gotten started!
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