Ginger may not be a spice you associate with Sweden, but it’s there (as is cardamom), and it makes its mark in this winter dish.When I was first served this, it was done in traditional, fancy style: a large roast of pork with a hole poked right through its center, stuffed with the dried fruit. It’s a glorious presentation and my first choice. But I have since been served it, and made it, in the simpler, stewed fashion of the variation, which is equally legit. I like this with Potato and Horseradish Gratin (page 482), but it’s good with most any potato dish.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings

　　12 prunes

　　12 dried apricots

　　1 cup port, dry red wine, or water

　　One 2- to 3-pound piece boneless pork loin, cut from the rib (shoulder) end

　　Salt and black pepper

　　1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

　　1 tablespoon sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon cayenne

　　1 cup dry white wine

　　1/2 cup heavy cream, optional

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Combine the prunes, apricots, and liquid in a small saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Simmer gently until tender, about 10 minutes (longer if the fruit was very dry to begin with).

　　

Step 2

Cut the roast open lengthwise, leaving a bit of a hinge along one side, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Drain the fruit and layer it on the meat with the ginger. Close the meat and tie or skewer it to something approaching its original shape. Mix together a large pinch of salt, some pepper, the sugar, and the cayenne and rub the roast all over with this mixture. Place in a roasting pan and put in the oven.

　　

Step 3

Roast, undisturbed, for about 15 minutes. Pour about 1/2 cup of the white wine or stock over the roast and lower the heat to 350°F. Continue to roast, adding about 1/4 cup wine every 15 minutes or so to keep the bottom of the pan moist, for about 45 minutes. Check the roast; an instant-read thermometer will register 145°F when it’s done (and it may take up to 1 1/2 hours).

　　

Step 4

Transfer the meat to a warm platter and put the pan on the stove over medium-high heat. If necessary, reduce the liquid to about 3/4 cup, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits. (If the pan is dry, add more white wine.) When the sauce is reduced, stir in the cream, if you’re using it, and cook for another minute or two. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then carve the meat and serve it with the sauce.

　　

Stewed Pork with Prunes and Apricots

Step 5

Much faster and easier. Cut the meat into cubes and brown them over medium-high heat in 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil. Add 1 cup white wine or stock, the fruits (don’t bother to soak first), salt, pepper, ginger, sugar, and cayenne. Cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily. Cook until the pork is tender, about 30 minutes; reduce the liquid a bit, then add the cream if you like.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.