Living Behind The Curve

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mirin
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 4 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 teaspoons chopped ginger
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pounds pork (roast or loin)
• 3/4 cup chopped celery (about 2 sticks)
• 1/4 cup chopped scallions
• 1 can water chestnuts, diced
• 1 can bamboo shoots, diced
• 1/2 can bean sprouts, chopped
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup chopped cooked mushrooms
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine mirin, soy sauce, lemon juice, ginger, salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons garlic. Stir well and add pork to marinade. Refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

In a large sautee pan, melt half of the butter over medium heat. Add the vegetables and the remaining garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes or until celery softens. Remove mixture to a large bowl and melt remaining butter in same pan. Add panko and cook until butter has been absorbed and crumbs are light brown. Combine panko with vegetable mix and set aside to cool.

Drain pork and discard marinade. Place the pork on a large cutting board and use a flexible knife to open up the roast for stuffing. (I use a lot of shallow cuts to create a reverse jellyroll effect, but if you’re unfamiliar with the technique, you can butterfly the roast and use a meat mallet to thin it out.) Spread the stuffing on the roast and roll it up like a jelly roll. Lay the roast in a roasting pan, seam-side down, and bake in a 350-degree oven until cooked thoroughly (160-165 degrees). Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before cutting.

This recipe was part of the $25 Dinner Party.