Thursday, January 6, 2011

Roast Pork Florentine with Pomegranate Sauce

Ingredients:
2 pork tenderloins (trimmed and cut open flat)
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Kitchen strings
Filling:
3 cups chopped spinach
¼ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
¼ cup red pepper, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. marjoram
salt and pepper to taste
Sauce:
1 cup pomegranate juice
1½ cups chicken broth
2 Tbsp honey
1½ tsps. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. water
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 425°F. In a skillet, cook garlic in oil until tender, stir in spinach, marjoram, salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3 minutes till spinach is wilted and set aside. Place the cut meat flat on a piece of plastic wrap. Using a mallet, pound the pork to an even 1/2 inch thickness. Remove the plastic wrap. Using a spatula, spread the filling evenly on the pork leaving a 1-inch border on all sides; sprinkle cheese on top.
2. Starting at the edge, roll up the roast tightly to completely enclosing the filling. Rub the pork with salt and pepper. Tie the roast at 2 inch intervals with kitchen strings. Place the roast seam-side down on a baking rack. (I've added a bed of kale drizzled with olive oil) Roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the center registers 155°F.
3. Transfer pork to a clean cutting board, tent with foil and let rest for about 10 minutes.
4. For the sauce, combine the ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Scrape remaining juices from baking pan to pot. Reduce mixture to about 1 cup. Thicken sauce with cornstarch and water, whisking till slightly thickened.
5. Remove string and slice roast into 3/4 inch thick slices. Serve with sauce.