Roast Pork with Apricot and Shallot Stuffing

By kbartell

Gourmet | June 2002

Ingredients

• 4 * 4 slices firm white sandwich bread
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup chopped shallots (3 large)
• 2 * 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 * 1/2 lb firm-ripe apricots (3 large), cut into 1/3-inch pieces
• 2 * 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 * 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 * 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 * 1 (3- to 3 1/2-lb) center-cut boneless pork loin roast (3 1/2 inches in diameter), not tied
• 2 * 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 * 1/2 cup water

Details

Servings 8

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Make stuffing:
Cut just enough bread into 1/3-inch pieces to measure 1 cup and spread evenly in a shallow baking pan. Toast bread in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 10 minutes, then transfer to a bowl. Leave oven on (for pork).

Cook shallots in butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add apricots and cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in bread, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Stuff and roast pork:
Make a hole for stuffing that runs lengthwise through pork loin: Beginning in middle of 1 end of roast, insert a sharp long thin knife lengthwise toward center of loin, then repeat at opposite end of loin to complete incision running through middle.

Open up incision with your fingers, working from both ends, to create a 1 1/2-inch-wide opening, then pack with all of stuffing, pushing from both ends toward center.

Pat pork dry and and season well with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat until very hot and just smoking, then brown pork on all sides, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast in middle of oven until a meat thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into meat (avoid stuffing) registers 160°F, 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let stand 20 minutes.

While loin is standing, straddle roasting pan across 2 burners. Add 1/2 cup water and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, scraping up brown bits.

Slice meat and serve with sauce.