Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

I thought I would post something that was a little more complex than pot roast!  Not that pot roast doesn’t take all my energy on some days, but last night I made my family Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin. Two things to keep in mind, first, I do not like sweet with my meat so this is not sweet!  And second, this is not that complicated.  I actually made this entire dish while on the phone helping my best friend solve a major world problem. Thank goodness we solved it! Please call with any issues you need advice on:) 

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Apricot Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

4-6 Servings

8 dried apricots, chopped

1 Tablespoon butter

2 shallots, minced or 1 small onion, minced

1 Tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

3 Tablespoons pine nuts

1 8oz. container Mascarpone or cream cheese

8-10 slices prosciutto

1-(2lb) pork tenderloin or 2-(1lb) pork tenderloins

1/2 cup dry white wine

4-8 (8") pieces of twine

Preheat oven to 400°

The Stuffing:

Melt the butter in a small saucepan and add the shallots and pine nuts.  Sauté for 5 minutes over medium heat until the shallots are soft.  Let cool slightly.  

In a medium bowl, combine cooled shallot/pine nut mixture with the sage, apricots and mascarpone, reserving 1 Tablespoon of mascarpone for later.

The Meat:

Butterfly the pork tenderloin(s).  Place the pork vertical on the cutting board and using a sharp knife cut the pork almost in half lengthwise. Do not cut all the way through.  Open up the pork like a book or butterfly.  Pound lightly to flatten it out and make it an even thickness. Spoon the apricot mixture evenly down the middle of the tenderloin(s).

Fold the tenderloin back together.  Arrange the slices of prosciutto in a overlapping layer about the length of the tenderloin on your cutting board.  Place the tenderloin on top of slices.  Wrap the prosciutto slices around the stuffed pork so that the entire tenderloin is covered with the prosciutto. 

Tie the rolled/stuffed pork with twine in four places to keep it together while cooking.  Place in a small roasting pan.

Roast for 30-40 minutes, basting with wine after the first 15 minutes. Test the internal temperature and make sure it is at 145°.  Be careful to insert the thermometer into the pork not the stuffing.

Remove the pork to a plate and tent with foil.  Place the roasting pan over medium-high heat on the stove.  Bring the pan juices to a simmer.  Whisk in the reserved tablespoon of mascarpone and taste for needed salt or pepper.  Remove from heat.

Cut the twine off the pork and slice.  Place on serving platter and drizzle with pan juices.

Notes:

1- Sometimes it is hard to find a large tenderloin so you might need to use two.  They typically come in a package of two in the meat department.  If you are feeding more than 6 people you can use a loin of pork.  Just double the ingredients. 

2- If you don't like sage then use rosemary.

3- If you don't want to use pine nuts use walnuts or slivered almonds.