- 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.
