HI EVERYBODY!!!!!!
WELL, I was going to go on a whole sch-peal about pork and how it’s “the other white meat” and how I think beef is unhealthy and you should choose pork over beef but I started watching Betty White’s “Off Their Rockers” TV show. MY GOD IT’S SO FREAKING HILARIOUS!!! I cannot concentrate for this blog over this show because I am literally crying with laughter. Basic TV needs more shows like this – not shows like “That B- In Apartment 25″ or whatever it’s called… I mean really, are they serious with that show? Gross.
ANYWAY, I made a pork loin last week and it came out perfect! I stuffed it with dried apricots, dried figs, raisins, and a granny smith apple. I love the combination of fruit and pork. I also made some awesome butternut squash. Yes, it was awesome. Everything tasted awesome! Haha! I served the pork and squash with plain wild rice with barley and rye.
Pork tenderloin stuffed with dried fruit
Ingredients
fruit stuffing
1/4 C. dried apricot halves, chopped
1/4 – 1/3 C. dried figs, sliced in half
1/4 C. raisins, any kind
1/2 granny smith apple, diced
1/2 C. apple juice
1/2 C. unsalted chicken broth
1 lemon – juiced
1 Tbs. butter
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 shallot, minced
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
salt and pepper to taste
pork tenderloin
1 boneless pork tenderloin (it’s really up to you on the size but nothing too small)
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
salt & pepper
Directions
1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine apricots, figs and raisins.
2. Add apple juice, chicken broth and lemon juice.
3. Add sage, thyme, butter, ginger, garlic, shallot, salt and pepper if using.
4. Cook until the fruit plumps and the liquid reduces by half, about 20 minutes.
5. While the stuffing is reducing, prepare the pork.
6. Trim the pork of all visible fat and the silver skin (if still on).
7. Choose whatever side you want to be the bottom and get a small sharp knife and make a big pocket from one end to another (don’t worry if it’s not perfect, mine had some stuffing coming out before I put it in the oven).
8. Flip back over and season the whole pork, inside and out, with the pork spices and EVOO.
9. When the stuffing has reduced, put it in a bowl and stick it in the freezer to let cool for a bit.
(If making the butternut squash with this, I would start preparing it now)
10. Once stuffing has cooled down so you can handle it, stuff the pork. It’s okay if some of the stuffing come out, just make sure to put it under the pork when placing it in the baking dish.
(If making the butternut squash with this, put the pork in the center of the baking dish and put the squash on the side after cooked on stove)
11. Bake at 350 until a meat thermometer reads 145; remove from oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes.
12. Slice and enjoy!
Butternut Squash
Ingredients
3-4 C. butternut squash, chopped into bite size pieces
2 Tbs. water
2 Tbs. maple syrup
salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Put squash into a pot on the stove on medium heat.
2. Add the water and let cook for about 6 minutes.
3. Add the maple syrup and cook for 8 minutes.
4. Add salt and pepper and cook until tender.
5. Serve and enjoy!
YUMMY!!
I hope you all enjoy it! I sure did. Let me know what you think! What did you do to make it your own?
#EatFreshCookBellissima
