Let the games begin!
<font color="red">Cran-Apple Pork Roulade, Side Salad w/ Cranberry Vinaigrette, and VCR</font>
Cran-Apple Pork Roulade
At first, I thought about using half cranberry juice and half apple juice for the liquid. Then I realized that's actually what my bottle of "cranberry
cocktail" is. [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]
1 C "Cranberry" Juice
1/2 C Cider Vinegar
3/4 C Brown Sugar
1 Shallot (diced)
1 C Dried Apples (chopped)
1 C Dried Cranberries
1 T Ginger (grated)
1 T Mustard Seeds
1/2 t Allspice
1/4 t Cayenne
Bring all of the above to a simmer and cook covered for 20 minutes. Then press out the liquid through a strainer.
On a 3 lb pork loin, cut parallel to the cutting board to "unroll" the meat in half-inch thickness. I found this pretty difficult with a chef's knife, but
way easier with an electric. (Yay powertools.)
Spread the filling across the pork, leaving an inch at the wide end.
Roll it up and tie it tight. Bring 1 T of canola oil just to smoking, and sear all sides of the pork.
Stick a probe thermometer in the center meat, and cook at 350 till 135 degrees. (Took about 50 minutes.) Meanwhile reduce the above liquid to a thick glaze. (When I let it cool off the heat, I could turn over the pot w/o the glaze moving. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img] )Roll the pork around in the glaze and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Cranberry Vinaigrette
3 T Red Wine Vinegar
1/3 C EVOO
1/2 C Cranberries
3 cloves Garlic
1/2 t Salt
1/2 t Pepper
Put all the above into a blender. Blend.
I put it on a mixed greens salad with toasted almonds and dried cranberries.
VCR
Mix equal parts
Vanilla vodka,
Cranberry juice, and
Raspberry vodka.
Cut the pork with the electric knife again, and sauce with the remaining glaze.
