Sunday roast
A traditional Sunday roast is just about the most satisfying meal I can think of. There’s a pleasure in both cooking and eating it, and as it takes quite a long time cooking it it’s a dish best served when you have time at home.
This recipe is originally from Iduns Kokbok, a cookbook my grandmother Anna used, from 1911. As their recipes are created for cooking on wood-fired cookers, and not modern ones, I’ve adapted them to suit our way of cooking.
The gravy I’m using is definitely falling within the category of modern Swedish cuisine. I really like using Teriyaki sauce in gravy for pork, but even 20 years ago few Swedes had even heard of that. Traditionally black or red currant jelly would be used to sweeten the gravy.
Prune stuffed pork loin roast
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 1500 g pork-loin
- ½ lemon juice of
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp white pepper
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- 100 g prunes
- 300 ml water
For cooking
- 2 tbsp butter
- 500 ml boiling water
- 2 stock cubes beef or chicken
Instructions
- Start by putting your prunes to soak in 300 ml luke-warm water.100 g prunes, 300 ml water
- Butterfly your pork-loin and pat dry using kitchen towel. Beat the butterflied meat gently using a meat mallet - you don't want to flatten it, just tenderise it a bit - and rub it all over with lemon juice before seasoning with salt, pepper and ground ginger.1500 g pork-loin, ½ lemon, 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp white pepper, ½ tsp ground ginger
- Remove the prunes, but keep the water they have been soaking in as you will be using that when cooking the roast. Slice the prunes lengthwise and remove any stones.
- Place the prunes on the meat, then roll it up and tie with cooking string.
- In your Dutch Oven, melt the butter and once it's sizzling brown your joint on all sides before adding the water you previously soaked the prunes in, 500 ml of boiling water and stock cubes and bring it all to the boil.2 tbsp butter, 500 ml boiling water, 2 stock cubes
- Cook your roast over low heat for about 21/2 hours, or until it reaches a temperature of 70C inside, basting it every 15 minutes.
- Remove your roast and set aside to rest for 30 minutes before cutting the string and carving. Do not chuck away the stock it's been cooking in! This you can use to make gravy for the roast and also be saved for a broth later in the week.
Notes
Serve with potatoes, gravy and grandmother Anna's cucumber salad. Since the roast takes time, why not try making Hasselback potatoes to serve with it?
The stock the roast has been cooking in can be used for a broth later in the week, and any leftover roast will be perfekt in a "pyttipanna" - Swedish hash.