Dried Fruit-Stuffed Pork Loin With Pears

Serves 8–10

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes | COOKING TIME: About 1 hour 30 minutes 

INGREDIENTS

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• 1 yellow onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  My Art of Entertaining Héloïse Brion

• 7 oz. (200 g) mixed dried fruit, such as apricots, figs, and cranberries

• Leaves of 3 sprigs fresh sage, chopped, plus extra to garnish

• 1 pinch paprika

• Scant 1 cup (240 ml) water

• Finely grated zest of 1 orange, preferably organic

• About 10 cooked chestnuts, chopped

• 1 handful roasted hazelnuts, chopped

• 3½ oz. (100 g) baby spinach

• 4 lb. (1.8 kg) boneless pork loin, butterflied (or ask your butcher to do this)

• 5 tbsp (2¾ oz./75 g) unsalted butter

• 5 small pears

• Juice of 1 lemon

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• Leaves of 1 sprig rosemary, chopped, plus extra sprigs to garnish

• 3 tbsp pear jam, warmed

• Salt and freshly ground Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a little olive oil in a saucepan and cook the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt over low heat for 4–5 minutes, until softened. Stir in the dried fruit (cutting larger fruit into small pieces), along with the sage and paprika. Let cook for 2 minutes, add the water, and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Stir in the orange zest, chestnuts, hazelnuts, and spinach.

2. Open the pork, lay it flat, and season with salt and pepper. Top with the dried fruit mixture, leaving a 1¼ –1½-in. (3–4-cm) border all the way around. Starting at one long side, roll the meat up and tie it at regular intervals using kitchen twine. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gas Mark 4).

3. Melt 3 tbsp (1¾ oz./50 g) butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and brown the pork for 3–4 minutes on all sides. Place in the oven for about 5–10 minutes.

4. Wash the pears, cut them in half lengthwise, and coat with the lemon juice.

5. Melt the remaining butter, mix it with the maple syrup and chopped rosemary, and pour over the pears. Arrange the pears around the pork and cook, uncovered, for 50 minutes. Cover with the lid or aluminum foil and cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the temperature of the meat reaches 145°F (63°C) in the center.

6. Remove from the oven and brush the roast pork with the warm jam. Cut into 1¼–1½-in. (3–4-cm) slices, garnish with rosemary sprigs and sage leaves, and serve with the pears.

Excerpted from My Art of Entertaining: Recipes and Tips from Miss Maggie's Kitchen by Héloïse Brion, Flammarion 2022.