Roasted Pork Loin with Persimmon Bread Stuffing and Applejack and Port Wine Sauce

Yield: 4-6 Servings

1 3-lb boneless pork loin
Persimmon bread stuffing (recipe follows)
Flour, as needed
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
Corn bread crumbs, as needed
Applejack and port wine sauce (recipe follows)

Method: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut pork loin lengthwise about halfway through. Fold out; place between 2 double sheets of plastic wrap. With flat edge of meat cleaver, gently pound pork loin to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread stuffing on pork, roll it up jelly-roll style. Tie with kitchen cord. Dust pork with flour. Mix egg and water; dredge pork roll in egg wash and corn breach crumbs. (Can use chopped fresh herbs here also.)

Put in skillet with melted butter and brown on all sides. Remove, and place in preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes. Remove, let stand 10-15 minutes in warm place. Arrange slices on platter with sauce on top.

Persimmon Bread
Yield: 2 loaves

3-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp mace, ground
2 cups sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, melted, cooled
4 eggs
2/3 cup brandy
2 cups persimmon pulp
2/3 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup golden raisins

Method: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour, salt, baking soda, mace and sugar into large bowl. Make well in center; add butter, eggs, brandy, pulp, pecans and raisins. Lightly mix until blended. Grease and flour 2 9x4 loaf pans. Fill pans 3/4 full with batter. Bake 1 hour. Let cool 15 minutes in pans. Remove from pans, cool on wire racks.

Persimmon Bread Stuffing

Yield: 4-6 servings

1/2 lb pork loin
1/2 loaf persimmon bread, diced
1 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup cranberries, chopped
2 oz pork fat, finely diced
1/4 cup walnut oil
1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
3 scallions, cleaned, thinly sliced
2 egg whites, beaten to soft peaks

Method: Place diced pork loin in food processor fitted with steel blade; process into paste. Combine paste, persimmon bread, raisins, cranberries and pork fat in bowl. Heat walnut oil in nonstick skillet until hot. Add cabbage and scallion, sauté 1-2 minutes. Cool. Add to bowl mixture, blend. Fold in egg whites.

Applejack and Port Wine Sauce
2 cups port wine
1/4 cup applejack brandy
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp arrowroot

Combine port, brandy syrup and molasses in small saucepan; bring to boil. Lower heat, simmer until liquid is reduced by 1/3. Dissolve arrowroot in small amount of water; stir into sauce. Increase heat; return to near boiling; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; strain. Reheat just before serving.

Pair with Ferrari-Carano Merlot.