Houstonist Cooks: Greek Stuffed Pork Loin

Houstonist is gearing up, with Spring. It is time to grill, and we adore cooking out. So, when you want to fire up the grill, and you are tired of the usual chicken and steaks, try some pork loin. This is one of our favorite things to do. We kinda "came up with this" with what we had in the fridge a couple of years ago, and liked it so much, we do it often. This is also a great way to use some of the herbs from your garden, should you have one. This pork loin goes very well with couscous, spinach salad or fresh steamed asparagus. If you don't have a grill, this can be baked in a 350 degree oven for 45-50 minutes, until juices run clear and it's just as good (just without that smoky-grilly flavor). Feel free to experiment with the herb mixure, based on what you have, or crust with finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Just remember if you "crust" meat and then grill it, adopt a hands off policy and only turn once and move to lower heat. You play with it, the crust falls off.

Greek Stuffed Pork Loin

1 medium (2-4 lb) pork loin
4 oz of feta, we slice the block about 1/4 inch thin to cover the area
1 tablespoon each minced fresh rosemary, oregano, basil and sage (or any combination thereof)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 bag baby washed spinach
3 teaspoons minced garlic
olive oil
salt
pepper

Rinse and dry pork loin. Cut in "half", making sure to leave about 1/2 inch of flesh connected. Cover top and botton with plastic wrap and pound down (Until is is about 3 inches wider than when you started, so you can make a pocket). In a skillet, drizzle olive oil (about 1 tablespoon) and add garlic, once the garlic begins to saute, add the entire bag of spinach and cook until wilted down. Salt and pepper pork loin to taste, add fresh herbs, a layer of feta and the cooked spinach. Fold over to close.

Once this is done, fold over to close and tie with kitchen twine at three inch intervals to close. Grill over high heat to sear the exterior for 2 minutes per side. Move to a higher rack, or the cooler side of the grill and continue to cook for 30-45 minutes, until juices run clear. Let rest for five to ten minutes, slice and serve.