Recipe courtesy of Jill Davie

Roasted Stuffed Pork Loin with Sweet Potato Puree, Radicchio, and a Molasses Gastrique

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  • Level: Intermediate
  • Total: 2 hr 20 min
  • Prep: 40 min
  • Cook: 1 hr 40 min
  • Yield: 20 portions

Ingredients

For the pork loin:

For the sweet potato puree:

For the molasses gastrique:

For the radicchio:

Directions

  1. For the pork loin: 
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
  3. Working on a large cutting board, cut the loin into 2 or 3 workable size pieces. Working on 1 piece at a time, place the loin fat side up on the cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife and starting at 1 end of the loin in the center of the meat, make a 1-inch incision widthwise. Insert the pairing knife into the incision and draw the knife down into the loin. Use the end of the knife to create a pocket in the loin but do not increase the size of the initial incision. Continue to create pockets down the length of the loin at every inch. Stuff each pocket with a pinch of spinach and a piece of fruit. Place a roasting pan or large saute pan over high heat. Dry the meat with paper towels before liberally seasoning it with salt and freshly ground pepper. Add the oil to the hot pan and completely sear each piece starting with the fat/incision side down in order to seal in the spinach and fruit. (This can be done ahead of time then chilled until ready to finish cooking.) 
  4. Place the loin in the oven for about 45 minutes to 1 hour to complete cooking. Allow the meat to rest for 30 minutes before slicing. Slice the meat down the center of the incision to expose the filling and once to the side of the incision. Continue to slice the meat making cuts at the incision and then to the side in order to control the portion sizes and to expose the filling. 
  5. For the sweet potato puree: 
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
  7. Wash and prick each yam with a knife or fork. Coat each yam with oil and place them on a sheet pan. Place them in the oven and until tender, approximately 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow to cool. Remove the skins of the yams and discard. Place the yams in a large pot with the butter and cream. Using a potato masher, smash the yams until smooth. Heat over medium to low heat and season with salt and lime juice. 
  8. For the molasses gastrique: 
  9. Bring the molasses and sherry vinegar to a simmer in a small sauce pot. Allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes them remove it from the heat and allow to cool. Stir in the lemon juice. 
  10. For the radicchio: 
  11. Core the heads of radicchio and separate the leaves to make decorative cups. If the leaves are too large, cut them in half. Place the leaves in ice water until service. 
  12. To assemble: 
  13. On a large serving platter, place dollops of the sweet potato puree in the shell of a radicchio leaf. Place 1 slice of the pork loin on top of the sweet potato puree. Finish the plate by spooning some of the gastrique over the meat.