Roast Pork Loin Filet With Fig Sauce

Roast Pork Loin Filet with Fig Sauce

Prep Time

5 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Total Time

40 mins

Pork loin filet is rubbed with salt, pepper, and thyme, then roasted and topped with a sublime fig sauce. Festive and simple, perfect for holiday entertaining!

Course: Main Course

Servings: 4 -5

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 (27 ounce) Smithfield Original Recipe Marinated

    Fresh Pork Loin Filet, trimmed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 large shallots , minced
1 jar (10 ounces) fig preserves
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
pinch of cracked red pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425° F.

Heat a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil; swirl to coat. Season the pork with the salt, pepper, and thyme; add to pan and sauté 4 minutes. Turn pork over; place pan in oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer registers 145° in the thickest part. Remove pork from pan; place on a cutting board, tent with foil and let stand while you make the fig sauce.

Being very careful - the handle on the pan will be HOT! - place pan back on the stove over medium-high heat; stir in the shallots with the pork drippings; sauté for about 2-3 minutes. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the fig preserves, mustard, lemon juice, and cracked red pepper. Allow liquid to deglaze the pan, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary.

Cut the pork into thin slices. Divide onto plates with some of the fig sauce. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Joyce's Fig Sauce

Joyce's Fig Sauce

Saturday I went grocery shopping with our daughter-in-law in Redwood City, CA. A tradition in many California Food Stores is to provide samples of seasonal items or new products. As we passed the cheese counter, we noticed a block of Blue Cheese with Fig Sauce set out for sampling. As we stopped to sample we met a most delightful lady and of course we struck up conversation. She shared she made a fig sauce which was much better than the commercial sauce offered. I am sure you have guessed the conversation continued. Actually the conversation didn't end briefly but not until we had exchanged email addresses and she had the blog information.

***

Today I was thrilled to receive an email from Joyce. Joyce sent the recipe for her fig sauce. To make it more special is the fact that Joyce created this recipe. It does not use pectin to make it firm like preserves so we call it sauce. Lucky for those who have a fig tee or for those who have a friend with a fig tree. Lucky is the person who meets Joyce and has a new friend ... that is me!

***

JOYCE'S FIG SAUCE

Joyce uses the Tupperware 8 cup measuring pitcher:

Ingredients:

8 heaping cups of figs mounded even

6 cups sugar (using same measuring pitcher)

6 lemons squeezed, adding juice and pulp

***

Directions:

Joyce combines the three ingredients and brings it slowly to a boil, cooking it for about one hour then turning it down and lets it simmer. 

Remember cooking it longer does not make it thicker. It does not include pectin. It is called sauce, not preserves.