Pesto-stuffed Pork Loin Chops

Honest, we had really intended to eat leftovers and clean out the fridge, but I’ve had a bumper crop of arugula and had a couple of extra batches of pesto in the freezer.  To make matters worse, the grocery store had nice-looking pork loins on sale BOGO.  So we devised this recipe.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts
• 4-6 cloves garlic
• 2 cups of coarsely chopped arugula
• 1/4 cup of chopped basil
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1/3 cup of grated parmesean cheese
• Salt to taste
• 2 butterflied boneless pork loins
• Salt, pepper, garlic powder, to taste

Directions

1. Combine walnuts, arugula, garlic, and basil in a food processor and blitz until evenly chopped.  Drizzle in olive oil while the machine is running. Stir in cheese and salt to taste and blitz again for consistency.
2. Place pork loins between sheets of waxed paper or aluminum foil and hammer angrily with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until you feel better and the meat is evenly 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick.
3. Season interior with salt and pepper.  Spread a thin layer of pesto and roll up into a tight roll.  Truss up with cooking twine.  Season outside with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
4. Set up a charcoal grill for indirect cooking.  Sear pork rolls on all sides over insanely hot charcoal (alternately, sear in a very hot cast iron skillet).  Once seared well on all sides, move to center of grill and cook indirectly until cooked through, about 25 or 30 minutes (?).  (Alternately, transfer skillet with loins to oven preheated to 450F and cook for 15 or 20 minutes.)
5. To serve, cut into cute little rounds and serve with baked potato and salad.

Beer pairing: I drank my own organic amber ale.  I should think Saint Arnold’s Amber Ale, Bell’s Amber, or Abita Amber would do nicely, as would any sort of Marzen or Octoberfest.