Pork is such a versatile meat that can be both light and sumptuous in the same dish; and as of late I have found myself focused on the “the other white meat’s” versatility. The richness that pork loin provides rivals roast chicken but certainly does not topple it. It is a battle that will be going on in my mind forever as far as I can tell.
I was daydreaming about pork loin a few days ago when Dawn and I ran in the grocery store to grab some ingredients for something or other and I walked past a meat fridge with a few packs of butter-flied pork loin cutlets. After staring intently at them for a few moments I had the idea of stuffing them with something but was unsure of what until I started looking through the ingredients I had to work with at the house.
After probing through the fridge for a couple minutes, I found the plump Brown Turkey figs from Whole Foods a couple days prior. After some contemplation, couscous came to mind as the missing link to the dish that I was dreaming of but could not initially connect. Perhaps it was some kind of Freudian dream and I was repressing couscous like the overly simple relative. But despite the repression that became the opus- fig and couscous stuffed pork loin with a hint of herbaceous goat cheese.
Fig and Couscous Stuffed Pork Loin
2 butter-flied pork loins
3-4 fresh brown turkey or black mission figs
Several pats of soft herb infused goat cheese
1 C Chicken Stock
½ C small grain couscous
2 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
1 T fresh mint plus more for garnish
Salt & Pepper to taste
Lay pork flat on grill pan and cook for three to five minutes per side or until meat registers 140 degrees in center.
Bring one cup chicken stock to a boil, add couscous, salt, pepper. Place lid on pot and remove from heat.
Chop figs in quarters and place in skillet with oil, salt and pepper, goat cheese, and soy sauce. Cook on low until ingredients are well incorporated.
Spoon several tablespoons of couscous and then fig sauce into the mouths of each pork loin. A few more crumbles of goat cheese can be added on top of fig sauce with mint shreds for garnish.
I was daydreaming about pork loin a few days ago when Dawn and I ran in the grocery store to grab some ingredients for something or other and I walked past a meat fridge with a few packs of butter-flied pork loin cutlets. After staring intently at them for a few moments I had the idea of stuffing them with something but was unsure of what until I started looking through the ingredients I had to work with at the house.
After probing through the fridge for a couple minutes, I found the plump Brown Turkey figs from Whole Foods a couple days prior. After some contemplation, couscous came to mind as the missing link to the dish that I was dreaming of but could not initially connect. Perhaps it was some kind of Freudian dream and I was repressing couscous like the overly simple relative. But despite the repression that became the opus- fig and couscous stuffed pork loin with a hint of herbaceous goat cheese.
Fig and Couscous Stuffed Pork Loin
2 butter-flied pork loins
3-4 fresh brown turkey or black mission figs
Several pats of soft herb infused goat cheese
1 C Chicken Stock
½ C small grain couscous
2 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
1 T fresh mint plus more for garnish
Salt & Pepper to taste
Lay pork flat on grill pan and cook for three to five minutes per side or until meat registers 140 degrees in center.
Bring one cup chicken stock to a boil, add couscous, salt, pepper. Place lid on pot and remove from heat.
Chop figs in quarters and place in skillet with oil, salt and pepper, goat cheese, and soy sauce. Cook on low until ingredients are well incorporated.
Spoon several tablespoons of couscous and then fig sauce into the mouths of each pork loin. A few more crumbles of goat cheese can be added on top of fig sauce with mint shreds for garnish.
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