Loin Of Pork With Prune Stuffing -

Loin Of Pork With Prune Stuffing

Pork is by far the most popular meat in Germany and appears in many guises. Crushed ginger biscuits are a traditional thickening ingredient and add colour and flavour to a sauce.

Ingredients

1.5kg/3lb cured or smoked loin of pork
75g/3oz/about 18 ready-to-eat prunes, finely chopped
45ml/3 tbsp apple juice or water 75g/3oz/1 ½ cups day-old ginger biscuit crumbs
3 cardamom pods
15ml/1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
250ml/8fl oz/1 cup dry red wine
15ml/1 tbsp soft dark brown sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper buttery fried stoned prunes and apple and leek slices with steamed green cabbage, to serve

Details

Serves: 4

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/450°F/ Gas 8. Put the pork, fat side down on a board. Make a cut about 3cm/1 ¼ in deep along the length to within 1cm/ ½ in of the ends, then make 2 deep cuts to its left and right, to create 2 pockets in the meat. 2. Put the prunes in a bowl. Spoon over the apple juice or water, then add the biscuit crumbs. Remove the cardamom seeds from their pods and crush using a pestle and mortar, or on a board with the end of a rolling pin. Add to the bowl with salt and pepper. 3. Mix the prune stuffing well and use to fill the pockets in the meat. 4. Tie the pork joint at regular intervals with string. Heat the oil in a roasting tin set on the hob and brown the joint over a high heat. Remove the meat and set aside. 5. Add the chopped onion to the tin and fry for 10 minutes, until golden. Return the pork to the tin, pour in the wine and add the sugar and seasoning. 6. Roast for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/ 350°F/Gas 4 and roast, uncovered, for a further 1 hour and 50 minutes, or until cooked and golden brown. 7. Remove the joint from the tin and keep warm. Strain the meat juices through a sieve into a pan and simmer for 10 minutes, until slightly reduced. Carve the pork and serve with the sauce separately, accompanied by buttery fried stoned prunes and apple and leek slices, together with steamed green cabbage.

Related food category:

• Pork