Stuffed Pork Loin - Hirino Gemisto (Χοιρινό γεμιστό)

Traditionally, pork or rooster (and sometimes both) are served as part of Greek family meals on New Year's Eve or Day.

Pork Loin stuffed with Kefalograviera cheese and mushrooms. Click to enlarge image.

Yesterday marked our second wedding anniversary and Sophie and I spent a quiet evening entertaining at our home. The table was set for six; the guests included our Best Man and Lady, along with another couple who are also very dear friends. According to my version of an ancient custom, I rarely invite more than nine guests to an indoor dinner symposium. I call it the “933 Rule” and it really is quite a successful play when entertaining guests over the Holidays. The company, in order to be close yet not unmanageable, must never exceed the number of the Muses (nine), nor ever be fewer than the number of the Fates (three). Nor should anyone present consume more cups of wine than there are Graces (also three). Now, three glasses of wine may not sound like a lot, but it is the equivalent of a typical bottle of wine i.e., 750 ml. In my estimation, a bottle of wine all to oneself is more than enough to “have a good time” as the saying goes. Mind you, this last rule is more of a guideline than a strict cut-off point… But, I do drop a subtle hint or two when I think someone has overdone it. :-)

The menu consisted of stuffed pork loin as pictured above, served with a roasted tuber and root medley, and a rice pilaf topped with baked mushrooms and onions; there was also a baked chickpea dish, and a romaine lettuce hearts and cucumber salad. In addition, the table was set with a platter of assorted Greek cheeses (including Kaseri and Feta), some village style cured olives, and some Greek peperoncini peppers. For dessert, I had baked a Milopita which was accompanied by coffee, tea, and cognac.

The pork loin was simply superb; succulent and moist all the way through. I had splayed the loin in a double butterfly manner to ensure as large a rolling surface area as possible. I wanted a tight and complete roll that would not leak its contents when tied and roasting in the oven. As the loin was the better part of two feet long, it was a delicate process to open it up in such a fashion, but the finished product was well worth the extra effort and care.

Once the loin was cooked and sliced, I served each piece with a drizzle of jus which I reduced from the pan drippings combined with some apple juice and Greek thyme honey. Also, I had tenderized the inner surface of the meat with a mallet and rubbed the loin (inside and out) with Greek extra virgin olive oil, and had seasoned it all over with paprika, marjoram, salt and pepper. Then, I spread a layer of shredded/grated Kefalograviera cheese followed by a layer of sliced mushrooms lightly seared in butter over top of the meat, covering about two-thirds of the inside open face of the loin, and leaving an uncovered band about two inches in width running along the edge furthest from me. At which point, I rolled the meat lengthwise toward the cheese-less band, and then tightly tied it with twine at both ends and in the centre, and then again at two-inch intervals along its entire length. The final preparatory step was to tightly wrap the meat in some aluminum foil and allow it to sit on the counter for a couple hours before cooking. I wanted the meat to be at around room temperature when it went into the oven.

Finally, I removed it from the aluminum foil wrap and cooked the loin uncovered on a rack over a pan in a moderate 350 oven for 1 ½ hours. From time to time, I basted the loin with the pan drippings and turned it only once to ensure an even roasting. The result was flavourful, tender, and moist.