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Roast Loin of Pork with Date Gorgonzola Stuffing On A Bed of Red Onion Confit
By Chef Bob Skolnick Photography By Marty Snortum Studio
PORK LOIN ROAST
Serves 4
3 lbs center cut boneless pork loin
8 each fresh garlic cloves - slightly crushed
1 each large Spanish onion - rough cut
2 cups mild pork or chicken stock
1 cup white wine – Chenin Blanc or Chardonnay
1 oz dried thyme leaves
salt & pepper to taste
To Prepare the Boneless Pork Loin Roast
1. Take a roast pan and line it with aluminum foil. Add the rough-cut onion, crushed garlic, 1 cup of chicken stock and 1 cup of white wine. Add in half of the dried thyme leaves. Place a roasting rack in the pan and spray with non-stick oil.
2. Remove the pork loin from its wrapper and rinse in cool water. On a cutting board place the pork loin fat side up and remove most of the fat cap and any sinew under the fat cap.
3. Place the tip of a sharpening steel into the center of the loin from one end and gently push it into the pork until it is near the far end but not all the way through. Now insert a narrow blade knife into the hole started by the steel. The knife blade should be parallel to the cutting board and widen the hole to about an inch and a half wide.
4. Fill the pork cavity with your date and Gorgonzola mixture pushing the mixture into the cavity with your fingers until the cavity is full and you have a tube of mixture from one end of the loin to the other.
5. Rub the outside of the pork loin with a seasoning made of olive oil, garlic salt, ground black pepper, paprika and ground thyme.
6. Place the stuffed loin on the baking rack in the roast pan and place in a preheated oven to 425 degrees. Roast at 425 degrees for 20 minutes to brown (and seal) the roast.
After 20 minutes turn the temperature down to 325 degrees and remove the roast from the oven and quickly baste it with the pan drippings. Return the roast to the oven and continue to cook for one more hour. To determine when the roast is done (as all ovens do not hold a true temperature) insert a meat thermometer into the meat near the center. Pork is done when the interior temperature is 160 degrees. When the roast is done, remove the roast pan from the oven and let the roast rest uncovered for fifteen minutes before slicing.
RED ONION CONFIT
11/2 lbs large red onions
3 oz honey
3 oz red wine vinegar
3 oz red wine - dry
white pepper to taste
DATE-GORGONZOLA STUFFING
12 oz pitted chopped dates
6 oz Gorgonzola or
Bleu cheese crumbles
In a stainless steel bowl mix the
Gorgonzola cheese until soft. Add the
chopped dates and blend together
well. Set aside at room temperature.
THE SAUCE
1/2 lbs salted butter
1 cup mild beef of chicken stock
1 cup pan drippings from the
pork roast
2 oz Wondra Flour
4 oz chopped dates
12 whole pitted dates
1 pkg fresh thyme
1. Melt the butter into a heavy saucepan and add the cup of stock and bring to a rapid simmer. Take the liquid from the bottom of the roasting pan and strain it through a fine mesh strainer into the stock and the butter mixture.
2. Bring the mixture to a rapid simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Thicken to the consistency of a light syrup with Wondra Flour. Then add the leaves from 3 sprigs of fresh thyme, the chopped dates and whole dates. Simmer for five minutes; adjust the seasoning and the consistency (if needed) with additional stock or pan drippings. The sauce is now is ready to serve.
This is an excellent condiment for the stuffed roast pork loin. Peel and slice the red onion into julienne cut. Combine all ingredients in a heavy bottom saucepot and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes until it has the consistency of marmalade. As onions all have different amounts of water in them you may need more honey to thicken. This condiment is intended to be served hot with the pork but can be made several days in advance and reheated for service.
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