PORK LOIN WITH PRUNES, PISTACHIOS AND PARSLEY

Listener 6/12/2012

Lauraine Jacobs

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Serves 12

For this recipe the pork can be prepared ahead to a point. If not cooking it immediately, once tied, place it in the refrigerator, well-covered with non-stick foil. If serving a crowd, this recipe is easily doubled.

Ingredients

3	Shallots
2 tbsp	Olive oil
500 g	Pork sausages, use italian style if you can find them
200 g	Pitted prunes, roughly chopped
3 tbsp	Pistachios, roughly chopped
1 bunch	Fresh parsley, large, roughly chopped
1 to taste	Salt & freshly ground pepper
2½ kg	Pork loins, flap attached and skin removed
1 cup	White wine
1 cup	Chicken stock

Directions

Prepare the stuffing. Chop the shallots finely. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and cook the shallots gently until tender and golden. Tip into a bowl.
Skin the sausages and add the meat to the shallots with the prunes, pistachios and half the parsley. Knead the ingredients with your hands. Season well with salt and pepper.
Place the pork on the bench, fat-side down. Spread the stuffing along the middle, then roll the meat around it to form a cylinder shape. Use cotton string to tie it at close intervals along the length. Season the outside with salt, pepper and the remaining parsley.
The pork can be prepared ahead to this point. If not cooking it immediately, place it in the refrigerator, well-covered with non-stick foil.
Preheat the oven to 200 degC. Place the pork in a roasting pan with the wine and roast for 75 minutes. To see if the pork is cooked, insert a metal skewer into it and check the juices. If they are still pink, roast for a further 15 minutes until they become clear. Remove the pork from the oven and place on a serving plate. Cover and allow the meat to rest for at least 10 minutes while you make the gravy.
Place the roasting pan on a heated stovetop element and use a wooden spoon to loosen any bits of meat stuck on the bottom. Add the stock and allow the gravy to bubble up, stirring constantly. When it’s slightly reduced and syrupy, tip the gravy into a heated jug and serve with thin slices of pork.
The pork is also excellent served at room temperature with a plum or prune chutney.