Tonight’s Dinner: Fruit-stuffed pork loin recipe

No matter the time of year, fruit makes a wonderful stuffing when you’re looking for something light and sweet as opposed to heavy and savory.

I’ve had fruit as a sauce over chops and as a side for pork loins, but until recently, I’d never considered mincing it and turning it into a stuffing for the meat. But recently while on a trip home, I flipped through Dave Lieberman‘s cookbook and saw his suggestion. Although I wasn’t interested in his choice of fruit (prunes and walnuts), I found the idea inspiring. So I rushed right home and made my own version with pears and dried apricots. It was out of this world and something I’ll definitely do again when the stone fruits are in season.

Fruit-stuffed pork loin

Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 medium pork loin
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1/2 pound dried apricots, chopped
• 2 pears, peeled, cored and chopped
• 1 tablespoon rosemary, chopped
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the pork loin lengthwise and lay it flat.
3. In a large bowl, toss together the olive oil, shallots, apricots, pears, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest and juice until well combined. Spread 3/4 of the mixture over the open pork loin, fold up as tightly as possible and tie together with string.
4. Place the loin in a large baking dish, seam side down. Spread the rest of the filling over the loin, cover with tin foil and bake for 90 minutes or until pork is no longer pink inside. Serve immediately.

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