Tasty Prosciutto Wrapped Pork Loin With Roasted Apples

While this recipe was part of my Christmas Dinner, it can serve well for any celebratory occasion or family gathering this winter. As soon as I saw the picture of this Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Loin with Roasted Apples on the magazine cover, I felt compelled to make it for our family Christmas Dinner. Besides being incredibly tasty, the finished dish is captivatingly beautiful to gaze upon. When sliced, the swirls of prosciutto, white pork meat, kale and filling are visually arresting! 

Ingredients

Filling

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1½ teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados
• ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 oz. (1 cup) dried whole porcini mushrooms
• 2 oz. (3/4 cup) dried apples
• 1 lb. kale, bottom stems trimmed
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more
• 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup minced onion

Pork Loin

• 4 medium apples (such as Granny Smith or Fuji), quartered, or 8 small apples, halved
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry hard cider
• ½ cup low-salt chicken stock 
• 1 (trimmed) 2½-3lb pork loin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more for seasoning
• 3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
• 5 springs rosemary

Directions

• Place dried mushrooms and dried apples in separate small bowls. Add 1 cup boiling water to each bowl. Let mushrooms and apples soak until very soft, about 30 minutes. Strain mushrooms, reserving soaking liquid (about ¾ cup). Cover and chill liquid. Drain apples. Drain apples, discard soaking liquid. Finely chop mushrooms and apples, combine in a small bowl, and set mushroom and apple mixture aside.
• Meanwhile, blanch kale in boiling salted water just until wilted, about 1 minute. Using tongs, transfer kale to a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate until cool. Remove any large, tough ribs.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and apples; cook stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, thyme, rosemary; cook for 1 minute. Add brandy and cook until liquid is absorbed, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Transfer mixture to a bowl and let cool.  Add ground pork and stir to combine.
• Pork: Ask your butcher to trim and butterfly a pork loin for you. Unroll the roast like a carpet, until the entire loin is flat. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet, pound to an even thickness.
• Uncover pork. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Place kale leaves on top of loin in an even layer overlapping as needed and leaving 1 inch border. Spread filling on top of kale. Roll pork into a tight cylinder. Warp one layer of prosciutto around roast. Tie roast securely with kitchen twine in 1 inch intervals. Tuck rosemary springs under twine, spacing apart. DO AHEAD: Pork roast can be assembled 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour before continuing. 
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place apples in a roasting pan. Melt 1 tablespoon butter with oil in a large skillet. Brown pork on all sides, about 5 minutes total, then set on top of apples in pan. Add cider and ½ cup water to skillet and bring to a boil, scraping up browned bits. Pour mixture into roasting pan. Roast pork until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loin registers 140 degrees (it will be cooked medium but still slightly pink), about 1 hour and 40 minutes (check for doneness at 1h30). Let roast rest for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.
• Put roast on a platter. Reserve apples from roasting pan; spoon off fat from juices in pan. Place pan on top of stove over medium-high heat. Add chicken stock. Pour in reserved mushroom liquid, leaving any sediment behind, and cook, scrapping bottom of pan to release any brown bits, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain sauce; slice pork. Serve sauce and apples alongside pork.

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