Jeweled Pork Roast

Plum Pudding Murder

## Ingredients

* 5-pound boneless loin of pork, center cut
* 2 bags mixed dried fruit\*\*\*
	+ \*\*\* My bags contained prunes, peaches, pears, apricots, and apple slices. I used some of every kind. Even though I'm not fond of prunes, they were excellent inside the pork roast!
* 3 Tablespoons butter
* 3 Tablespoons virgin olive oil
* Salt
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1 cup white wine
* 1 cup heavy cream
* Extra milk

## Directions

* Cut your pork loin into 2 pieces. Each piece should be no longer than 8 inches.
* Stand one piece of pork loin on the cut end and run a barbeque skewer all the way down the middle lengthwise, just like you were skewering a giant hotdog from one end to the other.
* Move the skewer around and turn it to enlarge the hole you've made through the middle of the pork loin. If you have a second skewer, push it in right next to the first skewer to assist in enlarging the opening.
* When you've enlarged the hole as much as you can with the skewers, withdraw them and insert the handle of a wooden spoon. Again, twist it around to stretch the meat and enlarge the hole. Work at this until the hole through the middle of the pork loin is large enough for you to insert your finger.
* Lay the fruit out on a sheet of wax paper so that you can pick and choose. This is going to be an awe-inspiring entrée if you alternate fruit color as you're stuffing. Start by examining the prunes to make sure prunes they're pitted. You don't want one of your guests to crack a tooth!
* Insert a prune into the hole. Push it down to the halfway point with your finger or the end of the wooden spoon. Follow that with an apricot, then a pear, a peach, and two apple slices. Insert as much fruit as you can stuff into the hole.
* Now go at it from the other end, stuffing the fruit in random order, alternating types and colors. When your piece of pork loin is chock-full of fruit and it's practically popping out the ends, either skewer the ends closed or sew them closed with kitchen string and a large need. ***(I live dangerously—I just left mind open and was very, very careful when I browned the pork.)***
* Repeat with the second half of the pork loin and then heat the butter and olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold both pieces of pork.
* Brown the outside of your pork roasts, turning them with tongs so that they're brown all over. Salt and pepper your pork as you go so it's seasoned all over.
* Take out a roasting pan large enough to hold both roasts and deep enough to also hold the cream, wine, and milk. Spray the inside of the roasting pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray and pour in the white wine and cream.
* Place the roasts in the roasting pan. If you haven't sewn or skewered ends closed, try to jam them up against each other and the sides of the pan so the fruit won't fall out during baking.
* Pour enough milk into the pan so that the liquid comes halfway up the sides of your roasts.
* Cover your roaster with the lid or with a piece of heavy foil tucked down around the sides, slip it into the oven, and turn the oven on to 350°F.
* Bake the roasts for 2 hours or until the meat no longer resists when poked with the tip of a sharp knife.
* Remove the pan from the oven. Remove the foil or cover carefully—steam will escape. Then remove the roasts from the pan and place them on a cutting board, cover them loosely with foil and let them rest for at least 10 minutes. ***(15 minutes is okay, too.)***
* When your Jeweled Pork Roasts have rested, use a very sharp knife to slice off the very ends. Then slice the roasts into 1-inch thick pieces and arrange them on a platter.
* Pat yourself on the back when you carry the platter to the table and everyone oohs and aahs. You deserve it.

Yield: Serves 6 to 8 guests.