I love classic Mediterranean roast pork with plenty of garlic, rosemary, and ground fennel seed. When I saw this recipe by David McCann in Food and Wine Magazine, I was intrigued by his pairing of fresh Basil, Tarragon, and Dill for the pesto. If you want to try a different take on rolled roast pork loin, give this recipe a try. I chose to serve this hearty cold-weather dish with Squash Risotto (Risotto alla Zucca) and drizzled the sliced pork with chorizo vinaigrette at the table. Serve accompanied by broccolini, sauteed winter greens, or a simple salad of baby spinach and baby arugula dressed with a light vinaigrette. Buon appetito!

Rolled Pork Loin Stuffed with Herb Pesto and Prosciutto
Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS
Pesto

• 1 cup fresh Basil leaves

• 1/2 cup fresh Tarragon leaves

• 1/2 cup fresh Dill leaves (*See note below)

• 3 scallions, trimmed, white and green parts chopped

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish or 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

• 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped

• Zest of 1 lemon

• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Pork

• 1 (3-pound) pork loin roast

• 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

• 4-6 slices prosciutto

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons olive oil 

PREPARATION
Pesto
1. Combine basil, tarragon, dill, scallions, thyme, horseradish, garlic, lemon zest, and oil in a small food processor. Process until mostly smooth.

 Pork   Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Place the loin on a cutting board with the fat cap on the board and the small end facing you. With a very sharp knife, cut the loin lengthwise to within ½-inch of the bottom of the pork, cutting evenly and “unrolling” until you have a flat slice of pork about ½ inch thick.
2. Top the butterflied pork with plastic wrap and gently pound with a meat mallet or rolling pin to an even ½ -inch thickness. Remove the plastic wrap and discard.
3. Sprinkle 1 ½ teaspoons of salt over the pork; spread evenly with pesto.
4. Top the pesto with prosciutto and sprinkle evenly with the grated Parmesan.
5. Roll the meat back into a tight spiral and, using butcher’s twine, tie the roll in about 1-inch intervals. Season on all sides with pepper and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt.
6. Heat an oven-safe skillet over medium-high. Rub the roast with olive oil. Sear, starting the fat side down and turning the roast occasionally until the roast is evenly browned. (about 10-12 minutes)
7. Place the skillet in the preheated oven and roast until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 135°F, 45 to 50 minutes. (begin checking at 40 minutes)
8. Transfer to a cutting board. Tent the roast lightly with aluminum foil and let rest for about 15 minutes. 

*Note: feel free to sub chopped fresh rosemary, oregano, or parsley for any of the herbs, eg. ½  cup Basil, ½ cup Parsley, ¼ cup Thyme, ¼ cup Rosemary 

Wine pairing: white wine: a full-bodied fruit-forward Viognier, Dry Riesling, or Pinot Gris; red wine: Zinfandel, Nebbiolo, Beaujolais, Gamay, Grenache, or Syrah. Avoid red wines with heavy tannins.

https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/pork-loin-stuffed-pesto-and-prosciutto by David McCann