"For churchgoing women, Sunday is an event and they greet it in style. So the fancier the hat, the better." -Patricia Underwood, hat designer, 2003
The Church Ladies. It was always fun to make hats for the ladies who went to church on Sundays. I had one customer who decided she wanted to be different and wear all little hats to church. Everyone else was wearing big portrait style hats. So one by one she would bring in an outfit and I would fashion a small matching hat. I loved that each outfit had its own hat. So often I was trying to help someone make one hat go with everything.
The fancier the better. Feathers, sequins, veiling and COLOR! I have to admit I was inspired by these women to go over the top. My usual inclination is to make attractive serviceable hats. But sometimes you have to go all out.
Sunday is a good day for fancy hats and a special dinner. A butterflied, stuffed and rolled pork loin roast is a delicious and elegant presentation. Serve it with some caramelized baby carrots, a potato galette and a butter lettuce salad with creme fraiche dressing.
Stuffed Pork Loin Roast
serves 6-8 people
3-4 lb. boneless pork loin roast, butterflied, with 1/4" of fat left on
3 slices bacon, diced
2 shallots, finely diced
2 bunches fresh spinach, washed and chopped or 1-16 oz. package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
3 tbs. butter
2 tbs. olive oil
2-3 bunches baby carrots, depending on size, cut lengthwise into halves or quarters
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup plum preserves
Open up the pork roast and lay flat. Cover with cling film and pound it to about 1" thick. Cut 5 lengths of kitchen twine for tying after stuffing. Set aside while you prepare the stuffing.
In a heavy bottomed pan, sauté the bacon in a little olive oil. When the bits are crispy, remove to kitchen paper to drain. Cook the shallots in the bacon fat until softened, add the spinach and cook 10-15 minutes until the spinach is tender. Remove to a mixing bowl to cool. When cooled to room temperature, add the bacon bits, bread crumbs, cheese, salt, and nutmeg. Mix together and spread evenly on the pork roast, leaving a 1" border all around. Roll the roast back up and tie with the twine.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Melt the butter and olive oil in a roasting pan just big enough to fit the roast. Brown the roast on all sides. Lay fat side up and seam side down in the pan. Strew the carrots on either side of the roast and toss in the fat in the pan. Put the roast in the hot oven. Total cooking time will be 1-1 1/4 hours, basting every 15 minutes with the juices in the pan and stirring the carrots. The drippings will get darker and darker as the carrots caramelize and the roast browns. Remove the carrots after 45 minutes, drizzle them with a tiny bit of balsamic vinegar. Check the temperature of the meat after 1 hour. It is done when it reads 155-160 degrees. When done, take it out of the pan and cover tightly with foil.
To make the sauce, put the pan on the stove-top on medium-high, de-glaze the pan with the wine and scrape the bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine reduces and the sauce starts to thicken. Stir in the plum preserves and continue to cook until they melt into the sauce.
Remove the twine ties from the roast. Slice the roast in 2" slices exposing the beautiful spiraled stuffing. Arrange the slices on a platter and pour over 1/2 the sauce. Garnish with the caramelized carrots. Serve the rest of the sauce on the side.
This stuffed pork loin roast is a delicious and elegant presentation. Special enough for Sunday and a Sunday hat!
To see the latest collection of Zazu & Violets' hats, including Sunday best, please visit our on-line Etsy shop.
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