Holiday Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

I may be on winter break but Commodore Cooking is not! Winter break presents me with an opportunity to experiment with my cooking beyond the confines of the markets. I decided to use this first week to cook with something that is not readily available in the markets, meat. I purchased a pork loin and opted for a stuffing containing traditional Christmas ingredients including chestnuts and dried fruit. As many of the ingredients were already on hand in my home, there is not a total cost based upon the calculated cost per serving of each ingredient. I found this recipe to be relatively simple yet quite flavorful. Served with steamed green beans and roasted sweet potatoes, it makes for a filling and festive holiday dinner. Once again, Happy Holidays!

Holiday Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

• 1 boneless center-cut pork loin (2 pounds)
• 1/3 cup chestnuts, cooked and crumbled
• 1/3 cup mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped
• coarse salt
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns, cracked
• 1/2 tablespoon whole coriander seeds, cracked
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 generous teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, sliced

Prepare chestnuts by making cross-cut across flat side of the chestnut. Add to pot of boiling water, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Take a few chestnuts at a time, peel off shell and inner skin. Crumble in bowl and set aside. Coarsely chop dried fruit and set aside. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

 

Place pork on a work surface and cut almost in half, keeping knife parallel to work surface, stopping 1 inch short of cutting through; open like a book. Place pork, opened up, across 3 lengths of kitchen twine. 

Sprinkle with chestnuts and dried fruit, leaving a 1-inch border all around; season stuffing with salt. Fold one long side over the other, overlapping slightly to form a cylinder; tie with twine. Rub with oil; sprinkle with cracked pepper and coriander, pressing to adhere. Season with salt.

 

 Place pork in a roasting pan and roast for 35 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted in meat registers 145 degrees. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Let rest.

Meanwhile, add wine to a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until syrupy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mustard and broth and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 minutes minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter.

Slice pork, and serve with wine sauce.

 
Reviews 
"Very tasty. Like the sauce and the stuffing."