Birthday Dinner - Main Roast pork with pistachio stuffing & hasselback potatoes

They really spoilt me with this one, in our Master chef style family judging though we did think it needed some greens and a gravy - but oh boy it was delicious and the pears and apple and extra slice of pork left over made for a great birthday night dinner too.

Recipe Source

Preparation Time 30 - 35 minutes
Cooking Time 160 minutes
Serves 10

Ingredients

• 2.2kg boned rolled loin of pork, string removed
• 60ml (1/4 cup) olive oil
• 11/2 tbs sea salt flakes
• 5 small pears, halved length ways
• 5 small red apples, halved cross ways
• 10 Clean potatoes, halved length ways (just because we like it 20 small pieces of sweet potatoes)
• 20 Eshallots, peeled
• 20g (1/4 cup) shredded Parmesan
• 20g (1/4 cup) fresh breadcrumbs parsley,

Lemon & pistachio stuffing

• 140g (2/3 cup) couscous
• 160ml (2/3 cup) boiling water
• 1/4 cup pistachio kernels, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh continental parsley
• 1 tbs finely grated lemon rind

Method

1. Preheat oven to 230°C. To make the parsley, lemon & pistachio stuffing, place the couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the boiling water. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes or until the liquid has absorbed. Use a fork to separate the grains. Stir in the pistachio, parsley and lemon rind. Season with pepper.
2. Place the pork, rind-side up, on a clean work surface. Use a sharp knife to score the rind cross ways, into the fat layer, at 2cm intervals. Turn the pork over. Cut a horizontal slit in the thick end of the pork (don't cut all the way through).
3. Open the pork to sit flat. Place the stuffing mixture along the centre. Starting from the thick end, roll up the pork firmly to enclose the filling. Use unwaxed white kitchen string to tie the pork cross ways at 2cm intervals.
4. Place the pork, rind-side up, in a large roasting pan. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of oil, then rub the salt into the cuts. Roast on the top oven shelf for 35 minutes or until the rind crackles.
5. Reduce oven temperature to 200°C. Line 2 baking trays with non-stick baking paper. Place the pear and apple on 1 tray. Drizzle over 1 tablespoon of oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast on the shelf under the pork for 30 minutes. Transfer the pear and apple to a plate. We cooked the sweet potato in the oven with the apple and pear at the same time.
6. Meanwhile, place the potato, cut-side down, on a chopping board. Cut thin, evenly spaced slits at 5mm intervals, about two-thirds deep, in the top of each potato.
7. Arrange the potato, flat-side down, and shallots on the remaining baking tray. Drizzle the remaining oil over the potato. Roast on the shelf under the pork for 50 minutes or until the pork is cooked through and the potato is tender and golden. Transfer the pork and shallots to a serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and set aside to rest.
8. Combine the Parmesan and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Use a pastry brush to brush the tops of the potatoes with any pan juices. Sprinkle with the Parmesan mixture. Bake for a further 5 minutes or until golden. Serve with the pork and shallots.

Certainly think it would be best served with some green beans or broccolini, and a little gravy too!!