Apple-Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin

The traditional Christmas dinner in France is a stuffed Turkey, or Capon, or any other kind of stuffed bird, served with chestnuts and a few other side dishes. But here in the United States, Christmas comes so quickly after Thanksgiving that we are ready for something different.

I found a really nice alternative to the bird: a stuffed pork loin. The ingredients are festive, it is relatively easy to make and tastes absolutely delicious!!

Apple-Cranberry Stuffed Pork Loin

one 4 lbs pork loin, butterflied
4 Macoun apples, chopped
1 medium-size onion, chopped
1 cup dried Cranberries, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 cups seasoned croutons, or dried bread
3/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup Maple syrup
Salt
Pepper


Preheat the oven to 450F.

Butterfly the pork loin or have your butcher do it for you.
Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, soften the croutons with the chicken stock. And set aside.

In a medium size bowl, mix the apples, onion, dried cranberries, rosemary. Add the softened croutons and the maple syrup. Mix well to combine.

Spread the apple stuffing on the pork, patting it down tight. Roll the loin and secure by tying it with cooking twine. Transfer to the baking dish with any stuffing that may have fallen out of the roast and bake at 450F for about 15 minutes. Then reduce oven temperature to 350F for another hour or until temperature at the center of the roast reaches 145F.

When ready, take the roast out of the oven and let stand for 10 minutes to allow the juices to settle.

Cut into 3/4 inch slices and serve with rice and string beans.

Apple Crumble

It has been a long time since I have been able to get to Charlotte & Spice! The culprit?!! Home improvement! It all started Labor Day weekend when I painted the kitchen. We are now in the middle of installing hardwood floors throughout the first floor...kitchen included! Needless to say that the house has been totally disorganized since we have started this project!

Instead of thinking out meals, I was scheming to get dinner at friends!!! Thanks you guys! And when dinner was at home anyways, it was ordered in or frozen pizza, or pasta with store bought sauces! Lame!!!

It seems though that life at the Steven's is getting back to normal and I have resumed cooking.

Fall is here with its temperamental weather, its incredible colors, especially here in New England, the World Series, Football and ...cooking indoors! Now is time for stews, crumbles, roasted meats and vegetables, soups...

And I am going to start with dessert!

Fall is Apple Season. Had we not been so taken by the wood floors, we would have gone apple picking. So many varieties are grown around here. My favorite apple is the MacIntosh, firm and juicy. I use it in most desserts as it cooks without getting mushy. I often mix it with the Macoun, a bit sweeter.

A wonderful pairing for the apple is the Cranberry, widely available on the Cape, as it is produced here. Its tartness balances the sweetness of the apples and they look like red jewels hidden in the crumble!

Apple Crumble

8 Macoun apples
8 MacIntosh apples
1 tsp ground Jamaica Allspice
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 cups fresh Cranberries


Crumble:
1 1/2 cup all wheat flour
2 sticks butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp brown sugar
3/4 cup oats
1 cup walnuts, crushed


Preheat the oven at 320F.

For the crumble, mix together the butter, flour and sugar until blended. Add the oats and the walnuts. Set aside.

Peel and core the apples. Cut them in small pieces. Sprinkle with the brown sugar, the cornstarch and the Allspice. Mix well. Add the cranberries and mix.

Transfer the apples in baking dish, sprinkle the crumble over the apples and bake for about 1 hour, or until bubbly.

Serve warm or at room temperature, by itself or with Vanilla ice cream!