Mark Bittman's Stuffed Pork Loin With Figs
This Stuffed Pork Loin With Figs recipe from last Wednesday’s New York Times is so fast, easy and delicious (that’s Mark Bittman’s MO, I know). Click here for the recipe.
Calimyrna Figs - I have no idea how to actually pronounce this
The recipe called for a Pork LOIN about 2-3 lbs as well as dried figs. Short of running out to the (difficult to park) Whole Foods Uptown, I substituted a (nearly) 2 lbs Pork Tenderloin and a bag of Sun Maid ‘Calimyrna Figs’ that were preserved in a fresh seal type bag at my standard neighborhood grocery store.
I did soak the figs (even though they were fresh and not dried) to make the sweet basting liquid, I just didn’t soak them for long. Only until they were just warmed through.
I knew since I was using the smaller Pork Tenderloin, I would have to keep an eye on the internal temperature of the meat (not the figs!) and pull it out of the oven earlier than the recipe called for. However, after a 5 1/2 hour traumatic day at the Louisiana Department of Motor Vehicles getting my drivers license renewed, I napped off for thirty minutes and didn’t do my 15 minute check that I had planned. So, it probably could’ve come out a little sooner, but no bother, it was still delicious.
Richard was supposed to make the wine reduction sauce from the pan drippings, but he ran off for a minute to check email and it reduced too much… Again, no bother, it was great without it!
Buttery parsley potatoes and fresh lima beans rounded out the meal, along with a French Pinot Noir. This one is a keeper.
P.S. I’ll take a picture next time! Mine was a much prettier presentation, the photo on NYTimes.com doesn’t do it justice at all.
Red Beans and Ricely Yours,
Nate
Welcome to the somewhat decorative blog! It's all about cooking, gardening, design and DIY in, out and around our 150+ year old cottage in New Orleans. Since the house always has something going on with it (or falling off of it) I'm blessed with a never-ending supply of Web content to share. Have fun and drop me a line anytime: laurelstreetnola@gmail.com
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh dear, this sounds like a MUST make! Yummy!
sounds delicious… i will try it!
I made this exactly how you describe not because I wanted to copy you but because those figs were the only ones I could find in any of my neighborhood supermarkets (and by the way, they are dried figs – it says so on the back of the bag) and because I inadvertently bought a pork tenderloin rather that a loin of pork – I thought that they were one in the same. I was horrified when I opened the plastic wrapper that I had two separate pieces, rather than the whole roast I was expecting to stuff. I had to skewer the meat together. Anyway, it came out great. The meat was incredibly tender.