Stuffed Pork Roll with Apricots and Pistachios and Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary

This may seem a bit fussy, but honestly friends, it is so worth it.  It was absolutely luscious.  It is impressive for a dinner party with its unusual combination of flavors and crunchy topping.

Ingredients:

4 lbs. boneless pork top loin roast
½ c. chopped apricots
½ c. chopped pistachios
2 cloves finely chopped garlic
¼ t. salt
¼ t. pepper
¼ c. apricot brandy
¼ c. apricot preserves

Crunchy Topping:
2 T. margarine or butter, melted
½ c. coarsely-crushed cracker crumbs (Town House was used for this demonstration)
4 T. chopped pistachios
¼ t. garlic powder

Roasted Red Potatoes:
1 lb. red new potatoes, washed
2 T. fresh rosemary, minced
¼ c. virgin olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

 

Cut pork roast into a large rectangle that can be filled and rolled.  Cut lengthwise about ½ inch from the top of the pork to within ½ inch from the opposite edge.  Open flat and repeat with other side of pork, cutting from the inside edge to the outer edge.  Open completely to form a rectangle.

 

Using scissors or a knife, chop ½ c. dried apricots into small pieces.  Chop ½ c. pistachios into small pieces.  Sprinkle salt and pepper and chopped garlic over pork within one inch of the edge.  Add chopped apricots and pistachios.

Beginning with short side, tightly roll up the pork and secure with wooden picks or tie with string.

Pierce pork roast all over with a metal skewer.  Brush entire surface with half of the apricot brandy.  Let stand 15 minutes and brush again with the remaining brandy.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours.

 

Heat margarine or butter in 2 qt. saucepan over medium heat until melted.  Stir in crushed cracker crumbs, 4 T. chopped pistachios and ¼ t. garlic powder.  Cook for one minute, then let cool.

Heat oven to 350º.  Place pork (fat side up) on a rack in a shallow roasting pan.  Roast uncovered for 1½ hours.

 

Remove pork from oven and brush apricot preserves over the pork.  Sprinkle with crunchy topping. 

 Roast for an additional 30-60 minutes longer, until internal temperature reaches 160º.  Remove from oven and cover with foil.  Allow to stand 8-10 minutes before slicing.

 

Wash potatoes and dry with towel.  Slice in half and place in a shallow baking dish (a pie plate was used in this demonstration).  Mince 2 T. fresh rosemary and place on potatoes.  Cover with ¼ c. olive oil and salt and pepper, to taste.  Toss to combine.  Cover with foil and place into a 375º oven for approximately 45 minutes or until potatoes are soft.  Remove foil for the last five minutes of baking, to slightly brown them.

Spinach Linguine with chicken and green onions in mushroom alfredo sauce

Ingredients:

2 T. butter
2 T. olive oil
5-6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper, freshly ground

½ c. chicken stock
½ c. dry white wine
2 c. half and half
1¼ c. Romano cheese, freshly grated
1 bunch green onions (approx. 6), chopped
2 large shallots (or one green onion, minced)
3/4 lb. spinach linguine or fettuccine
2 T. butter (room temperature)

Melt 2 T. butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium-low heat.  Season chicken with salt and pepper; add to skillet.  Sauté until cooked through, turning occasionally (about 12 minutes).

 

Transfer to heated plate and tent with foil to keep warm, in a 250º oven.  Add mushrooms and shallots to the skillet and stir for one minute.  Add chicken stock and white wine.  Increase heat to boil and reduce to glaze, about 5 minutes.

Add cream and boil slightly until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes,

Add Romano cheese and green onions.  Stir until sauce thickens.

Remove chicken from oven.  Add juices accumulated from chicken plate; season generously with pepper.

Cook linguine in a pot of rapidly boiling water, stirring to keep it from sticking; drain well.

Add 2 T. room temperature butter to sauce and mix until butter melts.

Thinly slice chicken diagonally and arrange over pasta.  Pour sauce over chicken and pasta.  Serve immediately with additional grated Romano cheese.

Veal Marsala

If you are not a fan of veal, you can substitute chicken for the veal.  Be sure to use sweet (not dry) Marsala in this recipe.  Also, I used pancetta, an Italian bacon which is not smoked.  If you do not have access to it, you can also use three slices of bacon, chopped.


Ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour
6 veal cutlets
3 T. olive oil
3 oz. pancetta, finely chopped
8 oz. white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 t. tomato paste
1½ c. sweet Marsala
1½ T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, and chilled
2 T. fresh parsley


Adjust oven rack to the middle position;  heat to 200º.  Spread flour in a shallow dish.

Place each veal cutlet into a plastic Ziploc bag.  I use a rolling pin to pound it down to approximately ¼ inch.  This helps to tenderize the meat and cook evenly.

 

Salt and pepper the veal cutlets.  Heat 2 T. olive oil in a skillet over high heat.  Dredge veal cutlets in flour and pat off excess; place in skillet and cook until golden brown on both sides, approximately 10 minutes.  Transfer cutlets to a plate in the oven to keep warm until all cutlets have been thoroughly cooked.

 

Add remaining 1 T. oil (you may need additional oil) and return to medium-high heat.  Add pancetta and mushrooms; cook until pancetta is crisp and the mushrooms are brown.

 

Stir in garlic and tomato paste.  Cook until the paste begins to brown, about one minute.  Stir in the Marsala, scraping up any brown bits; simmer until reduced and slightly syrupy, about 8 minutes.

 

Stir in lemon juice and any accumulated juices from the warming dish.  Turn heat to low and whisk in butter, one piece at a time.  Off the heat, stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper.  Return cutlets to pan and warm.  Serve over cooked noodles.