Cider-glazed, Stuffed Pork Roast

Ingredients

• Pork Loin Roast - 2-3 lbs
• 1/4c thinly-sliced, peeled apple
  
• 3 Oz Blue Cheese
• 4 slices Prosciutto, chopped
  
• 1/4 c chopped pecans
• 2T + 2T dried cranberries
• 1 butternut squash
  
• 4 T Cider Vinegar
• 3c Apple Cider
• 1c chicken broth
  
• 2 cloves garlic
• 8 sage leaves, chopped
  

Preparation
Preheat oven to 375
Peel and seed squash, cut into 1" dice. Toss 2/3 of the squash with olive oil, salt, pepper. Bake for 30 mins.

Slice pork roast open like a hot-dog bun. Place cheese, prosciutto, apples, pecans, 2T cranberries inside, roll closed and tie shut with twine. Line bottom of baking dish with reserved (uncooked) squash. Place tied-up roast on top of the squash, pour in 1/4c cider. Bake for 60 mins (okay if it overlaps with squash), until it's done.

Once the squash is baked, let it cool.
Saute 1 clove of garlic and half the sage in EVOO over medium heat. Add 2T cider vinegar, 1.5 c Cider, 1/2 c chicken broth, baked squash, 2T cranberries. Simmer until squash is tender and liquid is absorbed - moosh it up with a spoon.

In a small saucepan, combine 2T vinegar, 1.5 c Cider, 1/2c chicken broth, salt, pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat. Simmer until quite thick, and reduced to 1/2c or so.

Let the roast rest for 5 mins after removed from the oven - slice it 2" thick, plate on top of the squash moosh, and pour the cider reduction over it.

I served it with steamed collard greens on the side.

This dish is an adaptation of something I ate at Zingerman's Roadhouse in December of 2007. That was a stuffed porkchop with similar ingredients and a similar flavor. I didn't get their recipe, of course, but I wrote down the most obvious flavors in there.

Overall, the roast was absolutely delicious. Having quality blue cheese is key here - the roast really took on the flavor of the cheese. I used Point Reyes blue, which has a special place in my heart.