Ad hoc's fig-stuffed roast pork loin & happy new year!

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Main Dish

10 servings

Easy

1 h 45 m

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Ingredients

• One 2 1/2-pound pork loin roast
• 1 large fennel bulb
• Canola Oil
• 1/2 cup 1/2-inch cubes ciabatta or other artisan bread
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• 1 cup Fig and Balsamic Jam
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped thyme
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Gray salt or coarse sea salt

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Preparation

• Rinse pork loin with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Let air-dry. Using a long thin knife, make a horizontal lengthwise cut all the way through the center of the loin. Turn the knife and make a vertical cut through the meat (the two cuts should intersect like a plus sign.) Let the meat rest at room temperature while you prepare the stuffing.
• Cut the stalks from the fennel and trim the root end. Remove the thicker outer layers. Separate the bulb into individual layers and cut into batons about 1 1/4 inches long and 1/2 inch wide; you need 1/2 cup fennel. Reserve the remaining fennel for another use.
• Set a cooling rack over a small baking sheet and line it with paper towels. Heat some canola oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the bread cubes and cook, tossing to brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the bread cubes to the lined rack.
• Pour off any excess oil, leaving just a light film in the pan, return the pan to the heat, and add the fennel. Cook until tender with just a little bite left, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallot and cook for 1 minute.
• Stir in the jam and warm through, then add the bread cubes, chicken stock, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste, stirring until thoroughly combined. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a roasting rack in a small roasting pan and put it in the oven.
• Meanwhile, use your fingers to widen the cavity in the meat enough to hold the stuffing, working from either end of the loin. Place the filling into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain tip and pipe it into the opening on one side of the pork, pushing the filling into the center of the roast. Turn the loin around and finish stuffing it from the other end. Tie the roast with kitchen twine, being careful not to pull the string so tight that it pushes out the filling.
• Season the loin on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until smoking. Add the loin to the pan and brown on all sides, moving it to a different area of the pan with each turn, for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork to the roasting pan and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature is 135 to 140 degrees F. Remove from the oven and let rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes for medium-rare to medium. Remove the string and cut the loin into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a platter and sprinkle with gray salt.

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