I want to tell you a story about the roundabout way I found Jane Green, and ultimately, this pork loin recipe.
It was a Friday night in the middle of June. The children had gone for their first week-long visit with their dad, my new ex-husband, and I was going to be home alone for seven days with only the dog for company. I drove to the bookstore and headed toward the self-help aisle to find a book on how to make it to the finish line. You know what I’m talking about, the place where you are all grown-up, wise, mature, and self-actualized.
Instead, I found Bookends by Jane Green. It was my first venture into chick lit. The protagonist was young-ish, overwhelmed, and feeling trapped in her life. She also had a dream of owning a bookstore, just like me. And like most novels in this genre, she was okay; then she wasn’t. Circumstances are awful; life looks bleak, then it doesn’t. There are twists and turns, and then she finds her way to joy. Since I was heading to the self-help aisle to try to find a way to make my personal story read like this one, I figured reading about a happy ending was a good way to start planning for one.
I’ve been a devoted Jane Green fan ever since. I’ve done womanhood with her, and I’m better for it. So, when she wrote a cookbook, I bought one immediately. And that cookbook is where I found this recipe.
Jane Green’s Stuffed Pork Loin
There isn’t a better meal on a crisp fall day than a hearty roast stuffed with warming fall flavors: figs, prosciutto, sage, and butter. This pork roast is easy to prepare and refrigerate until you’re ready to pop it in the oven, which makes it ideal for both weeknight dinners you need to put on the table fast, as well as an impressive make-ahead dish for dinner parties.
Jane is one of the most gracious writers I’ve been able to learn from- I have asked her a handful of questions about writing, and she has always responded with the best advice and encouragement, and she is genuinely warm and kind, like a friend you’ve known all your life. I asked her if I could share this recipe when her last book came out, and she said she would love that. So, here it is. Jane Green’s Fig, Prosciutto, and Sage Stuffed Pork Loin. The only change I make to her recipe is that I season the inside and outside of the pork loin with house seasoning.
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Fig, Prosciutto, & Sage Stuffed Pork Loin
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 1x
- Category: main
Description
Nothing gets people talking faster than a satisfying meal. Jane Green’s recipe for pork loin is relatively easy to prepare, the presentation is pretty, and it is versatile enough for all sorts of different sides. It’s the perfect main course to serve at your next book club, or just for dinner on a regular old Tuesday.
Ingredients
- 1 3 lb. pork loin
- 12 dried figs
- 8 tablespoons butter
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 20 fresh sage leaves, chopped (use 2 tsp dried sage if fresh isn’t available)
- House seasoning
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
- Cut a pocket along the length of the pork loin being careful not to sever it in half. Think of a Muppet. You get the idea. 🙂
- In a food processor, pulse the butter, figs, prosciutto, garlic, and sage until it is a paste.
- Season the inside of the pork loin. Stuff the fig paste inside the pork loin and secure it with kitchen string to keep it together.
- Mix the mustard and honey. Pour it over the pork loin.
- Drizzle with olive oil.
- Place in the oven and immediately decrease temperature to 375 degrees.
- Cook for one hour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 10 servings
- Calories: 337
- Fat: 17.3
- Carbohydrates: 16
- Protein: 35
Keywords: pork, fig, book club
Good Taste by Jane Green
Good Taste
Good Taste: Simple, Delicious Recipes for Family and Friends is one of my go-to cookbooks. It has recipes for entertaining as well as recipes for feeding a family on the fly. Many of the recipes meet Paleo dietary requirements, and many more can be tweaked to meet specific dietary needs. All of her recipes are nourishing and made with whole, real food ingredients, so you can feel good about what you're putting on the table.