Pork Loin Stuffed With Cranberries And Wild Rice

When you need an elegant dish to serve during the holidays, look no further. When sliced and arranged on a serving platter, this elegant pork loin reveals its colorful stuffing, which makes it a stunning main course to bring to the holiday table.

SERVES 6 TO 8

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ teaspoon dried marjoram
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 cups basic wild rice
• ½ cup dried apples, finely chopped
• 1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped if large
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more if needed
• 1 4-pound pork loin roast, butterflied
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more if needed
• 1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock or store-bought chicken broth
• 1 cup ruby port
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, garlic, marjoram, and thyme, and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the shallots are softened. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool. Add the rice, apples, cranberries, and 1 ½ teaspoons of pepper, and stir to blend.
2. If the meat appears uneven, cover it with plastic wrap and pound it to an even thickness of about ½ inch. Sprinkle the meat with the salt and the remaining 1 teaspoon of pepper, and spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the roast. Beginning on a long side, roll the pork into a compact roll and tie it with butcher’s twine or secure it with silicone bands at 1-inch intervals. Scatter the onion in the pressure cooker and add the stock, port, and bay leaf. Set the pork on top of the onion. Lock the lid in place and cook at high pressure for 25 minutes.
3. Release the pressure naturally and remove the lid, tilting the pot away from you to avoid the escaping steam. Carefully transfer the meat to a cutting board, cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
4. Skim off any excess fat from the sauce, strain it into a saucepan, and bring it to a boil. In a small bowl, stir together the butter and flour, and whisk it into the sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, until thickened. Stir in the parsley, taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
5. Remove the butcher’s twine from the pork and slice the meat ½ to ¾ inch thick. Transfer it to a serving platter and spoon some of the sauce over the pork. Serve the remaining sauce on the side

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