Cucina Fresca
Roasted Pork Loin with Prunes, Dandelion Greens, and Mustard

Reprinted with permission from ‘wichcraft by Tom Colicchio and Sisha Ortúzar, copyright © 2009. Text by Rhona Silverbush, Photography by Bill Bettencourt. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, NY. All rights reserved.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe.

Roasted Pork Loin with Prunes, Dandelion Greens, and Mustard

This is a great sandwich to make with leftovers (in this case, leftover pork loin). One of the key elements in this sandwich is the choice of greens. Dandelion greens are bitter, but balance the other flavors of prunes and mustard. If the greens are not to your liking, either try buying smaller-leafed dandelion greens (the larger the leaf, the more pronouncedly bitter) or substitute mustard greens or endive.

Makes 4 sandwiches.

1 pound boneless pork loin
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
16 small pitted prunes
1/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons mustard
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
4 cups loosely packed dandelion greens, (small leaves are less bitter), thick stems removed
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
8 slices of country bread

Preheat oven to 375°F

Season the pork loin with salt and pepper and cover evenly with the caraway seeds. In an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons of oil and brown the meat until golden brown on all sides. Transfer the meat to the oven and roast for 30 to 45 minutes, until it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F.

In a saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add the prunes, and immediately remove the pan from the heat. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain.

Remove the meat from the oven and transfer to a plate to rest. Discard the oil from the skillet and return the skillet to the stove. Over high heat, add the prunes, wine, and mustard. Reduce until the liquid becomes a sauce that coats the prunes; set aside. Add any juices that gathered from the resting meat to the prunes.

In another skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining teaspoon of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the dandelion greens and season with salt and pepper. Once the greens are wilted, add the vinegar, toss, and remove from heat.

Slice the pork as thin as possible and grill the bread on both sides. Top 4 of the slices of bread with the prunes and sliced pork and season with salt. Place the dandelion greens on top. Cover with remaining slices of bread, cut into halves, and serve.

 

Ingredients

Searing the Pork

Prune Sauce

Sauteeing Greens

Pork Layer

Finished Sandwich

Cucina Fresca | 460 Idaho Street | Elko, NV | 89801 | (775) 738-4670 | Copyright 2009 - Acorn Advisors