Boneless pork roast w/ prunes and garlic?

[Paper Roses]

Several years ago we had dinner at a friends house. He served a wonderful pork roast that had prunes, garlic, maybe parsley and not much else. The boneless pork roast was sliced so that it could be stuffed, rolled, tied and then roasted. There were no exotic ingredients, no liquor. Just the wonderful roast.
I have been all over the internet looking for a recipe that might be similar. All seem to have more complicated ingredients.

Anyone have any idea about what else might have been within this rolled up roast? Maybe there was nothing else. Unfortunately, our host passed away and I have no idea how to duplicate this simple masterpiece.

[Warpy]

1. Most likely his recipe was a bit more complicated

with a few more ingredients helping the prunes and garlic stand out.

What you could do is start small, with stuffed pork chops with just the ingredients you remember. Figure out what flavor it is missing and re engineer from there.

(then again, I'm one of those horrible people who could go home and duplicate a restaurant recipe with ease, even Chinese restaurants)

[Paper Roses]

2. I envy your skill. My taste buds are not sophisticated.

Can you help guide me with Chinese food? I love simple things like Chicken Chow Mein. I have tried everything I can think of. Nothing tastes as good as the restaurant. Since I use very few spices, perhaps that is my problem. Chicken Chow Mein is a favorite because I always have the ingredients available. I have soy and shellfish allergies so I tend to keep my recipes simple. I do add things like pea pod, bok choy and broccoli to my concoctions but I think that is not my problem. (I can't tolerate mushrooms.)

BTW, do use chicken stock or broth? Since I don't really know the difference, I use Swanson's low sodium canned chicken broth.(Their beef broth is awful in my opinion) I might have to enhance it with a little bouillon. Use Herb-OX granulated low sodium chicken. Don't like "Better than......"

Since I'm an old timer and now a widow with a low budget, mistakes are costly. Love all advice given. Thanks, PR

[Warpy]

4. I mean it about starting small with what you remember.

Chances are that you'll come up with something even better.

[Sentath]

3. That sounds delicious

I have done a pork roast with garlic and ginger .. stabs? before, it called for an apricot sauce and this sounds like it turns that inside out.

So, I did some quick reading and here is what I found:

http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/9502-loin-of-pork-stuffed-with-prunes
needs less pretension.

http://www.cooks.com/recipe/jd2bm189/fruit-stuffed-loin-of-pork.html
needs more garlic to make me happy, but if you have a taste for mild, it might be right up your alley.

http://www.food.com/recipe/prune-stuffed-pork-roast-136333
the shallots sound good to me. I'd likely reduce the caraway to unnoticeability as I've never cared for the stuff.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/prune-stuffed-pork-loin
fresh thyme? I guess. I'd still likely sub it out for 1 to 1.5 Tbsp poultry seasoning

[Retrograde]

5. I have an old (c. 1980) Betty Crocker cookbook with a similar recipe

It uses a mixture of prunes and dried apricots.

Summarizing:

For a 4 lb pork shoulder, mix 1/2 tsp cloves, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon with about 3 oz dried prunes and 3 oz dried apricots. Make a hole through the pork shoulder, then stuff the fruit mixture inside. Salt and pepper outside of roast, then cook, fat side up, at 325 for about 2.5 hours, basting with apple cider occasionally. When done, remove roast, deglaze pan with apple cider, add cornstarch slurry to thicken gravy.

I've made in several times (usually with just apricots since I have them on hand more often than prunes) and it comes out fine. The long, slow roasting is key. Pork (and duck, and turkey) goes well with fruit.