Prunes were once a staple in American kitchens of yesteryear. They were versatile for desserts, fancy enough for the dinner table, affordable, nutritious and, most importantly, they stored well. "Stewed prunes" were "a thing"; now we have breakfast bars.
Prune cakes were common in our grandmothers' time. Today, you rarely see them. Paging through old cookbooks, a certain prune cake always shows up, one made with spices, often nuts. The one I had my eye on included black walnuts, of which I have a bag in the freezer. So I picked up a small bag of prunes.
I still haven't made the cake. But the prunes are all gone! I cut up a few to mix with morning hot oatmeal. When I baked a half or quarter of a chicken, I threw some around it--I'm now addicted to chicken with prunes. A great combination!
Eastern European countries love prunes. And poppyseeds. I grew up with poppyseed cake and, at Christmas, prune--filled cookies. Impossible to find anymore.
Anyway, I scored a nice pork loin earlier in the week that had, miracle of miracles, a genuine fat cap! I grabbed it. Any roast meat needs a fat cap for flavor and basting to keep it moist throughout cooking. Here in the States, meat is cut lean for health reasons. Now, with meat prices so high, they are shaving off even more fat to cut down on weight/price. (Please take note: a pork loin is not the same as a pork tenderloin!)
Pork stuffed with prunes is nothing new in Poland. Most delis sell a version of it cold. Sliced thin, it is eaten as a sandwich with butter, horseradish, pickled red cabbage . . .
I looked up a few recipes and gave it a try. I'm glad I did. It's a bit tricky to score the hole for the prunes. It just takes some patience. Because most pork loins are more oval than round, I tied my two-pound roast to make it more compact and cylindrical (how-to video is at the end of this article). A roast that is tied and uniform is always more visually appealing. I'm not keen on netting or "meat girdles" for roasts.
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| Tie the best you can |
Method:
Using a sharp knife with a pointed tip (a boning knife is ideal), carefully maneuver into center of your roast and through it. Remove the knife, and re-insert again Using a rounded long-handled implement, such as a dowel, (think wooden spoon), ram the hole to stretch it a bit larger.
Mix your spices in a small bowl. Now stuff the loin, lightly dipping each prune into the spice mixture so it seasons the pork from the inside. Next, tie into a neat, cylindrical shape and roll in remaining spice mixture. If desired, tuck a rosemary frond under the strings. I like to spread the top with a bit of butter and a drizzle of olive oil so it all melts into a rich gravy.
Place loin a bed of thin-sliced onion rounds that have been salted and peppered. Add a bit of water/wine/stock. Surround the pan with a few prunes making sure they are somewhat immersed in liquid so they won't dry out.
Place in a pre-heated 350 oven and roast until temperature registers about 145 F. I prefer my pork just a tad underdone. You do you. If, at any time, the pan juices seem sparse, add a bit more liquid. Figure about 20 minutes per pound. It cooks quickly, so make sure when you cut your onions they are not so thick that they won't be done.
Spice Rub: Use any combination of the following to taste: Kosher salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, dried thyme flakes, marjoram flakes, lightly-crushed fennel seeds (you don't need much and do not omit), minced fresh rosemary, sage. I like lemon with my pork, so I zest in a bit and my Italian season blend contains dried lemon, so I use a bit of that, too
When done, remove from oven and place the roast and extra prunes on a dish. Cover loosely with tin foil. If you want a savory, oniony gravy, mash the now-softened onions. Gently heat on low, mixing the "gravy." Remove to a small bowl or measuring cup. Blitz with an immerson blender until smooth.
Or
Serve onion slices alongside thin-slices of roast with the extra prunes. Strain gravy through sieve and serve. Good with mashed potatoes.
This is great served cold sprinkled with a good salt.
