Oh my goodness was this dish delicious! I chose it because its from the Princeville Hotel right on Kauai and because much of the work is done the night before you plan to serve it. The ingredient list may seem like an odd combination, but I promise you, all those ingredients come together to form the most melt-in-your-mouth mixture of fruit and spices. Each flavor comes out on its own, but none of them overpower the other. I loved this dish!
When shopping for this recipe, try to find Hawaiian papaya, which is smaller, sweeter, and more tender than Mexican papaya. Look for one with a yellowish, or even better, orange skin.
Roasted Pork Loin with Tropical Fruits
seen on www.epicurious.com
originally from Bon Appetit, August 1995
Ingredients:
4 c. dry Sherry
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/2 c. chopped pitted prunes
1/2 c. chopped dried apricots
12 whole black peppercorns
6 whole cloves
1 (3 1/2-lb.) boneless pork loin, trimmed
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/3 c. chopped peeled pitted mango
1/3 c. chopped peeled Hawaiian papaya
1 TBSP golden brown sugar
1 TBSP vegetable oil
Directions:
1. Combine two cups Sherry, cinnamon stick, lemon juice and peel in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Simmer two minutes. Add prunes and apricots. Simmer until fruits are tender and mixture thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.
2. Combine 2 cups Sherry, peppercorns and cloves in small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool marinade to room temperature.
3. Using sharp knife, make lengthwise cut down center of pork, cutting 3/4 of the way through. Open like a book. Sprinkle cut side with some of onion. Close pork. Place in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining onion. Pour marinade over. Cover pork and fruit separately; chill overnight.
4. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Farenheit.
5. Drain any liquid from fruit mixture; reserve liquid, discarding cinnamon stick. Stir mango, papaya and sugar into fruit mixture.
6. Discard pork marinade; pat pork dry. Open pork like a book. Season inside with salt and pepper. Spoon 2/3 cup fruit mixture down center of pork; reserve remaining fruit mixture. Fold pork over, enclosing filling. Tie pork in several places with kitchen string to keep filling in place. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pork and cook until brown, about five minutes per side.
8. Transfer to large roasting pan. Roast until thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 160°F., about 1 hour 15 minutes. Place pork on platter; reserve pan juices. Tent pork with foil and let stand 20 minutes.
9. Mix reserved liquid from fruit, remaining fruit and reserved pan juices in heavy small saucepan. Bring to simmer. Slice pork; serve with fruit sauce.