Pork Loin Stuffed with Dried Cherries and Swiss Chard
Pork loin is always welcome at any family table or dinner party, and thankfully it turns out to be as easy to make as it is impressive. Assemble it a day or two in advance and just pop the pork in the oven before dinner. The colorful jewel tones of the stuffing make this dish look as good as it tastes. Once you have the basic technique down, you can change the stuffing any number of ways—use different kinds of bread, dried fruit, wine, herbs.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8 to 10
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the dried cherries in a bowl. Heat the wine in a small pot or in the microwave and pour over the cherries. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit and plump up for about 20 minutes.
Step 2
Cut the ribs out of the Swiss chard and set aside. Roll the leaves into a bundle and coarsely chop into 1-inch ribbons; you should have about 8 cups. Put the chopped chard in a colander and rinse well. Set aside to drain. Cut the ribs crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces. (Why do people throw them away? They give a little crunch and added texture.)
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Step 4
Put a large pot over high heat and coat with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the chard ribs and onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir with a wooden spoon until the vegetables soften, about 4 minutes. Once they’re cooked down, add the garlic and give it a stir; cook for a minute until fragrant. Add the chard leaves. Turn the leaves over until the chard releases its moisture and cooks down, about 3 minutes. Season again with a pinch each of salt and pepper. If you want to stuff the loin immediately, spread the chard mixture out on a baking sheet to cool quickly; if you’ve got the time, simply turn off the heat and let it cool in the pot.
Step 5
Using a sharp knife, cut the pork loin lengthwise down the middle—do not cut all the way through to the other side—and open it up flat like a book. Season the surface of the pork generously with salt and pepper. Evenly distribute the cooled stuffing on the bottom half of the pork. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of the chard to soak up any extra juices. Drain the wine from the cherries and reserve. Distribute the macerated cherries evenly on top and pat down. Carefully fold the top of the pork loin over; just push the stuffing back in if it starts to come out.
Step 6
Cut kitchen twine into six 12-inch pieces. Tie the roast securely with the string at intervals to hold it together (but not so tight that you squeeze out the stuffing). Scatter half of the rosemary evenly on top of the pork; season with salt and pepper. Flip the pork over and sprinkle with the remaining rosemary; season again with salt and pepper.
Step 7
Set the pork in a roasting pan and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 155°F, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the pork to a cutting board and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Put the roasting pan on two burners over medium heat. Add the reserved wine from the cherries, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up all the delicious brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Stir in the stock and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the pan sauce into a gravy boat.
Step 8
To serve, cut off the twine and carve the pork into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange on a serving platter with the pan sauce on the side.
