Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Prosciutto and Dried Fruit with Port Wine Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cherries
• 1 cup Tawny Port
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• Pinch salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
• 4 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
• 2 (3/4 pound to 1 pound each) pork tenderloins, butterflied and pounded slightly to an even thickness between sheets of plastic wrap
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• Pear and Parsnip Puree, recipe follows
• Port Wine Sauce, recipe follows
• Fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a small bowl, combine the raisins and cranberries.

In a small saucepan, bring the Port to a simmer. Pour over the dry fruit and let sit until plump, about 10 minutes. Drain well and let the fruit cool.

In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring, until soft, about 1 minute. Add the bread crumbs, thyme, salt, and pepper and stir until the bread crumbs are lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the cooled fruit and bread crumb mixture. Add the cheese and stir to combine.

Lay the prosciutto slices over the butterflied pork to cover. Starting about 1/2-inch from the bottom and leaving 1/2-inch on either side, lay the bread crumb mixture in a uniform line across the meat. Pull the bottom edge of meat up and over the filling and roll up into a thick cylinder. Using butcher's twine, tie the meat to seal. Rub with vegetable oil on all sides and lightly season with salt and pepper.

In a large ovenproof skillet or roasting pan, sear the meat on all sides over medium-high heat, 3 to 5 minutes. Place in the oven and roast until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 155 degrees F to 160 degrees F, about 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before carving. To serve, remove the butcher's twine from the roast and carve into slices about 1/2-inch thick. Spoon the Pear and Parsnip Puree onto the sides of 4 plates. Arrange the slices next to the puree, drizzle with the Port Wine Sauce and garnish with thyme sprigs.

Port Wine Sauce:

1 (750ml) bottle Tawny Port

1 cup veal stock

1 stick very cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

In a medium saucepan, bring the Port to a boil. Reduce the heat and cook at a low boil until reduced to a thick syrup, 1/4 to 1/3 cup in volume. Add the stock and cook until thick and reduced by half. Reduce the heat to low, and whisking constantly, add the butter several pieces at a time, adding more butter once the previous pieces have nearly been incorporated, removing the pan from the heat occasionally to prevent the sauce from getting too hot and breaking. Continue until the sauce is emulsified and all the butter has been added.

Yield: about 3/4 cup

Pear and Parsnip Puree:

1 1/2 pounds parsnips, peeled and chopped

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

4 ripe Anjou pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons Frangelico or other nut-flavored liqueur such as Nocello

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

In a baking dish, combine the parsnips, 2 tablespoons of the butter, the brown sugar, cinnamon, and allspice and cover tightly with aluminum foil. Bake until the parsnips are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and uncover.

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the pears and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the liqueur and tilt the pan to ignite the contents. (Alternately, remove from the heat, light with a match, and return to the heat.) Cook while flaming for 2 minutes. Transfer to a food processor.

In a skillet, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan, until the butter is golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Add the browned butter, baked parsnips and their cooking liquid to the food processor. Puree on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sour cream, salt, and pepper and process until smooth. Serve immediately or cover to keep warm until ready to serve.

Yield: 5 cups, 4 to 6 servings