Danish Pork Roulade with Dried Fruit

Six servings

1 kg pork flank, shoulder, or loin. See cutting directions below. It should be a shape that can be cut to a large rectangle.
100 g dried apricots
100 g prunes
1/2 l water
salt
pepper
1 vanilla bean
OR
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cardomom, freshly ground, if possible
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
butcher's twine

1-2 star anise
OR
1/2 tsp ground anise, or whole or ground fennel

• Soak the apricots and prunes separately until soft. They may take different amounts of time.
• Drain the apricots and prunes and save the soaking water.
• Cut the meat into a large rectangle.
• Start at the long edge about 1/2 inch from the bottom.

Cut as straight as possible, staying at 1/2 inch from the bottom when you get near the end, fold it open and continue.

Roll the meat up "empty" to make sure it will make a neat roulade. If necessary, trim some of the meat and add it where there is meat missing (If one side of the roll is thinner).

• Mix the cardamom, nutmeg, and vanilla with the prunes and apricots. If using a vanilla bean, cut it in half and scrape out the the beans.
• Put some salt and pepper on the meat.
• Spread the fruit and spices over the meat.
• Roll the meat from a short end.
• Tie it with butcher's twine or fasten with poultry needles.
• Put the meat in an oven proof pan, "seam" side down.
• Add an inch or so of fruit soaking water and water to the pan.
• Add the star anise, anise, or fennel to the water in the pan.
• Put the pan in the middle of a cold oven.
• Bake for approximately 1 1/2 hours at 180 degrees C (~350 degerees F).
• Check if the meat is done by sticking a poultry needle into the meat. The juices should be clear.
• Take the roulade out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes covered with foil.
• Deglaze the pan and make a gravy or sauce.
• Carefully remove the butcher's twine or poultry needles from the roulade.
• Slice and serve.

Note, tsp and tbsp are not the standard measures. They are the teaspoons and tablespoons found in your cutlery drawer