This recipe always reminds me of the celebrations at my grandmother’s house. From Christmas to Easter, this dish of either roasted pork shoulder, sirloin, or pork stuffed with eggs and prunes, was one of my grandmother’s favorites. The combination of the salty loin with sweet prunes, topped with a delicious plum sauce made with red wine, makes this dish an elegant and delectable option for any special event.
In my case, Easter is approaching and as a tradition I always like to invite over friends who have children so they can go Easter egg hunting. This time I’ve decided to prepare the stuffed loin dish because it’s always a hit.
This year I will also implement a new way of using the plastic Easter eggs for the kids. To avoid refined sugar, I’ll be opting to prepare more nutritious versions such as Easter eggs stuffed with dates and prunes. I always look for the healthiest options for my family – they are the reason why I eat right. I want to make good food decisions both in and out of the kitchen which is why I’m substituting chocolates or candies for prunes and dates in our Easter eggs this year. This is a great option to give kids the sweet flavor they are used to while avoiding the traditional Easter candy filled eggs. Prunes are actually the sweet choice for our family… my child adores them! And, I love that he eats prunes as a delicious snack that also nourishes him. In addition, prunes can help with bone health. They are a source of heart-healthy fiber, are essential for good digestion and help keep you feeling satisfied. Prunes are a good option to eat as one of your daily servings of fruit.
In the Latino community, we often hear from a relative or friend who is suffering from osteoporosis. Did you know that 1 in 3 women over 50 years of age suffer from osteoporosis? Making the right decisions in our diet can help us prevent these types of diseases. Healthy bones begin with a good diet, and this can be easily achieved by eating 5 to 6 prunes per day to help prevent the loss of bone mass, according to research. Exercise also improves bone health, while increasing muscle strength and balance.
As you can see this recipe is a win-win. It’s delicious and nutritious so it’s time to get down to work.
Ingredients:
STUFFED LOIN
2.5 pounds or 1 kg of pork loin
1 tsp of salt
½ tsp of pepper
½ tsp cumin
5 hard-boiled eggs
1 cup of Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes
1 pound of bacon (can be turkey or pork)
1 tbsp chopped garlic
Cooking thread
MARINADE
2 cups of Sunsweet Amaz!n Prune Juice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp chopped garlic
RED WINE SAUCE/GRAVY WITH PLUMS
1 cup of Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes
1 cup of red wine
1 cup of stock (your choice)
½ cup of chopped onion
To start the recipe, we need 2.5lbs of pork loin. Make sure to ask your butcher to slice it open in the form of a book.
We are going to stretch out the meat and near the edges is where we’ll place the hard-boiled eggs. I used five eggs on each side, and next to each egg I added Sunsweet Amaz!n Prunes.
Season well on all sides with salt, pepper and cumin and then start rolling the meat as if you were making a burrito. When you get to the middle, place another row of Sunwseet Amaz!n Prunes and sprinkle them with a spoonful of chopped garlic and a little salt.
Finish rolling the pork loin and then tie together.
For the marinade, we are going to add 2 cups of Sunsweet Amaz!n Prune Juice in a pot along with 1 tbsp of chopped garlic and 1 tbsp of sugar.
Let the ingredients come to a boil and continue cooking a couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and while you let it cool make small holes along the back of the meat with a knife. This will help the marinade be absorbed better. The small holes can also be used to stuff with garlic.
Now bathe the pork loin with the cooled marinade. If you have the time, I recommend letting it rest in the marinade for an entire day because it will really taste that much more delicious. However, if you’re stressed for time, 15 minutes should do the trick.
Once it’s done marinating, untie the pork loin and wrap it with bacon strips. Once it’s completely covered with bacon, tie it up again and place it in a baking dish.
Before baking, I also add some carrots and potatoes along the side of the stuffed loin.
Use half of the marinade to cover everything and bake at 360°F (180°C) for 1 hour. When ready, remove from the oven, add the rest of the marinade, cover with aluminum foil and let it bake for another 30 minutes.
While this is baking, you can prepare the wine sauce that will accompany the dish.
In a pot, add 1 cup of red wine, 1 tbsp of sugar, 1 cup of Sunsweet Amaz!n prunes, ½ cup of chopped onion and 1 cup of chicken, vegetable or beef stock.
Bring to a boil and let it cook for about 10 minutes. When ready, blend the ingredients together, and put back on the stove to cook until it achieves your desired consistency. I usually let it cook on low heat for an additional 10 minutes.
Once you try it, you’ll see how delicious this recipe is. Serve this along with the red wine sauce, the potatoes and carrots, and a tasty salad.
I’d love to see how you prepare my recipes. Tag me on Instagram so I can see your creations!
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