Pork loin with a great herby stuffing
This recipe for pork is great. You can serve it as a conventional roast, or let it cool and either serve it as part of a buffet, or in sandwiches as they do in Italy. On my first trip there we stopped at a caravan by the side of the road where we had lovely big porchetta (pork sandwiches) filled with salad leaves, mustard and some very bready salsa verde. If you're feeling adventurous then try out this recipe using a whole suckling pig. It's one of the most special things you can cook – great for weddings and parties. Good butchers will normally be able to get hold of a suckling pig if you order in advance. If you do decide to use a suckling pig, then double the stuffing recipe, stuff the cavity, secure it and allow it a couple of extra hours to cook. It will be ready when the leg and shoulder meat falls off the bone.
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
Counts 13 of 14 ingredients — the other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and contribute nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume — 13 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Pork | 100g cooked | 242 |
| Pine Nut | 1 oz (28g) | 191 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Sourdough | 1 slice (36g) | 93 |
| Red Onion | 1 medium (110g) | 44 |
| Fennel | 1/2 bulb (87g) | 27 |
| Black Pepper | 1 tsp ground (2.3g) | 6 |
| Rosemary | 1 tsp dried (1.2g) | 4 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Sage | 1 tsp ground (0.7g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Seed | not in our table | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- ½ higher-welfare pork loin, preferably the rib end, off the bone
- 1 small handful fresh rosemary, leaves picked
- 3 heaped tablespoons fennel seeds
- sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 500 g sourdough or rustic bread
- 2 red onions, peeled and finely sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely sliced
- 1 small handful fresh sage leaves, ripped up
- 1 handful pine nuts
- extra virgin olive oil
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar