ROAST LOIN OF PORK WITH CHERRY STUFFING AND CHERRY PAN GRAVY
Makes 6-8 servings.
• 1 (2 ½ pounds) boneless pork loin, butterflied
• 1 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 cup chopped green onions (including both white and green parts)
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme plus additional thyme for top of roast
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 3 cups dried bread cubes
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
In a small bowl, combine dried tart cherries and wine; allow cherries to marinate while getting rest of ingredients together.
In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add green onions and celery; cook 7 to 8 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat; add ½ cup marinated cherries without the liquid, parsley, thyme and allspice to onion mixture; mix well. Season with salt and pepper; allow mixture to cool. When cool, add bread cubes and egg to onion mixture. If stuffing appears dry, moisten with a little chicken broth or water.
On a flat board, lay out pork, fat side down. Spread stuffing evenly over pork. Roll up carefully; tie with butcher's twine. Season surface of pork with salt, pepper and thyme to taste. Place rolled pork roast, fat side down. In roasting pan.
Roast in preheated 425-degree oven 10 minutes. Turn meat over; roast 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; roast 1 hour 15 minutes, or until an internal temperature of 165 degrees is reached. Transfer roast to carving board and allow to sit 15 minutes before carving.
Meanwhile, prepare pan gravy by adding 1 cup chicken broth to remaining marinated cherries; pour cherry mixture into roasting pan. Bring to a boil, stirring to loosen pan drippings. Dissolve cornstarch in remaining ½ cup chicken broth; add cherry mixture in pan, stirring constantly until gravy returns to the boil. Cook 2 minutes. Serve over sliced pork loin.
Recipe courtesy of the Cherry Marketing Institute - www.cherrymkt.org/
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