Chestnut Chanterelle

Boneless Pork Loin Roast

With Armagnac Pruneaux Sauce

Makes 6 serving

3 pound boneless pork loin roast (ask the butcher to butterfly the meat to create an even piece that is a 1/2 inch rectangle)

1 large loaf rustic baguette, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1/4 pound slab bacon, diced

3 large onions, small diced

1 pound chanterelle mushrooms, shredded

5 celery stalks, small dice

1 1/2 pounds fresh chestnuts, roasted shelled, chopped — see editor's note

1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme

1/2 teaspoon ground mace

2 cups chicken stock, divided

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup Armagnac or cognac

1/2 pound prunes, chopped and soaked in Armagnac for 24 hours (or longer if desired)

1/4 pound (one stick) butter, cold, cut into chunks

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Spread baguette evenly on 2 large baking sheets. Bake until golden, flip occasionally. Transfer to large bowl.

3. In a large saute pan, place the diced bacon. Render on medium heat, and then medium high as bacon starts to brown. Stir occasionally. When bacon starts to crisp and brown, reduce heat slightly and remove bacon from pan. Add onions and cook until tender, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add chanterelles. Stir until mushrooms begin to soften and release juices. Add celery and stir for 2 minutes. Mix contents of the saute pan into bread. Mix in chestnuts, thyme and mace.

4. Season to taste with salt and pepper; add a little chicken stock if mixture seems too dry. It should hold together when pressed between your fingertips. You may prepare this ahead and refrigerate until ready to roll into the roast. Allow mixture to cool before stuffing into pork roast.

5. To roll/fill stuffing: Liberally season the interior of the butterflied pork with salt and pepper. Distribute the stuffing evenly, but leave a border on the left side to allow the roast to seal neatly. Roll the roast. Chill for 20 minutes before tying with twine. Season exterior of roast with salt and freshly ground black pepper and place in roasting pan, seam side down.

6. Roast at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until internal temperature registers 150 degrees in the center of the roast. Remove from oven to a warm platter and allow to rest covered with foil for 20 minutes.

7. To make Armagnac pruneaux sauce: Place roasting pan on burner on medium heat until browned bits start to sizzle slightly. Deglaze with Armagnac and reduce until mixture resembles a thick syrup. Add prunes and chicken stock to the pan. Reduce by half and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. When sauce is somewhat thickened, remove from heat and add cold chunks of butter. Whisk constantly until sauce is thick and glossy.

8. Remove twine from roast and slice pork into 1/2-inch slices, drizzle sauce over slices and serve remaining sauce on the side.

From Sarah Wong, Seattle Culinary Academy

at Seattle Central Community College

Editor's note: To oven-roast fresh chestnuts, cut an X on the flat side of each chestnut to prevent the nut from exploding. Place in a shallow baking pan and roast in a 400-degree oven for 25 minutes, tossing occasionally. Peel the chestnuts while they're still warm. The shells become hard and brittle as they cool, making them difficult to peel. Because fresh chestnuts have a short season, you may find yourself looking for alternatives when you're using chestnut recipes. You can purchase jarred whole chestnuts year-round. — Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens