Artichoke-Stuffed Pork Loin With Lemony Roasted Root Vegetables
Portion size: 8 Stuffing a roast makes the meat flavourful, juicy and a guaranteed showstopper. Substitute mozzarella or Fontina cheese for Gouda if you wish.
Ingredients
- 1 pkg (5 oz/140 g) baby spinach
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 leek, (white and light green parts only), thinly sliced (about 2-1/2 cups)
- 1 can (398 mL) artichoke hearts, drained, pressed and chopped
- 1 cup (250 mL) shredded Gouda cheese
- ¾ cup (175 mL) fresh bread crumbs
- ½ cup (125 mL) grated Parmesan cheese
- ⅓ cup (75 mL) chopped fresh Italian parsley
- ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
- ½ tsp (2 mL) pepper
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) centre-cut boneless pork loin roast
- Vegetables:
- ¼ cup (60 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped fresh oregano
- 3 tbsp (45 mL) lemon juice
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp (2 mL) salt
- ½ tsp (2 mL) pepper
- ¼ tsp (1 mL) hot pepper flakes
- 1 lb (454 g) mini Yukon Gold potatoes, or yellow fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half lengthwise
- 2 carrots, peeled and diagonally cut in ½-inch thick slices
- 1 large onion, chopped
Instructions
- In Dutch oven, cover and cook spinach with 2 tbsp water over medium-high heat, stirring once, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to sieve; press out moisture. Transfer to large bowl and let cool.
- In same pot, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat; cook garlic and leek, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add to spinach.
- Add artichokes, Gouda cheese, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley and ¼ tsp each of the salt and pepper to spinach mixture; toss to combine. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.)
- Place pork, fat side up, on cutting board. Starting ½ inch (1 cm) from bottom of roast, cut 1-inch (2.5 cm) deep horizontal cut along length of roast. Continue to cut deeper into roast, horizontally, pushing away or “unrolling” meat as you cut, to form 12- x 10-inch (30 x 25 cm) flat rectangle.
- Mound spinach mixture along centre; fold pork in half to cover. Place four 17-inch (43 cm) lengths of string crosswise under loin; tie at top and cut off excess string.
- Brush with remaining oil; sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper. Transfer to roasting pan.
- Vegetables: In large bowl, whisk together oil, oregano, lemon juice, mustard, salt, pepper and hot pepper flakes. Add potatoes, carrots and onion and toss to coat; arrange around pork. (Make-ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours.)
- Roast in 400°F (200°C) oven, basting 3 times with pan juices, until juices run clear when pork is pierced and meat is still slightly pink in centre, about 1-1/4 hours.
- Transfer pork to cutting board and cover loosely with foil; let stand for about 20 minutes before carving into 8 slices.
- Roast vegetables until potatoes are browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Serve with pork.
- Source : Canadian Living Magazine: April 2011