Pork Matambre Sureños: Southern-style Pork Roulade

Adapted by StarChefs.com
November 2011
Yield: 20 to 30 Servings

INGREDIENTS:

Pork Tenderloin
1 pork tenderloin
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon salt
4 sage leaves
1 cup whole milk
Matambre Sureños Filling
4 Chinese eggplants, as straight as possible, peeled and thinly sliced
10 quail eggs
Distilled vinegar
Pork Matambre Sureños
1 egg white, whisked and strained
black pepper, freshly cracked
Ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon chipotle meco powder
¼ pound good country ham, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, sliced into thin ribbons, blanched, and dried
8 piquillo peppers, cleaned and dried
1 large golden beet, roasted on its skin until just tender and sliced
To Assemble and Serve
pork jus
salad
Crusty bread

METHOD:

For the Pork Tenderloin:
Slice open the tenderloin lengthwise to produce a large rectangle, starting with the rib side against the board and cutting into the bottom, slicing it while rolling it out. Lay a double layer of plastic wrap on top of the pork, and pound it to a flat even surface (the less pounding results in the best texture, so butterfly the meat to avoid extra pounding).
 
Chop the garlic finely, adding the salt and sage to make a seasoning paste for the meat. Season the meat all over, letting it rest for 5 minutes. Put the seasoned pork in a pan, add the milk, and rest for 30 minutes.

For the Filling:
Bake the eggplant slices in a 250°F oven until soft. Cool eggplant and pat dry. While cooking, put the quail eggs in a pot with cold water; slowly heat to 180°F, then place the eggs in a bath of distilled vinegar to soften the shells for easy peeling (let soak 15 to 20 minutes).

For the Pork Matambre Sureños:
Pull the Pork Tenderloin from the milk bath and pat dry, keeping as much garlic paste on it as possible. Brush the surface with the egg white, leaving a 1-inch margin, and season with black pepper, nutmeg, and chipotle. Place the tenderloin on top of plastic wrap (leaving a good bit of overhang on the plastic). Lay a 3-inch layer of ham on the pork, place a line of carrots in the middle of the ham, and then line up the eggs one behind the next down the center.

Start rolling the matambre like a galantine with a pinwheel effect. After the eggs are secure, lay down the peppers and beets and keep rolling until you reach the margin. Tighten the roll with the help of the plastic wrap, and then finish rolling until the end. Secure the ends by tying the plastic off on one end first, then compacting the other end as much as possible and tying it off. Use twine to further strengthen the roll and compact it as much as possible. Cook the matambre in a water bath, starting with cold water, until it reaches 140°F, keeping at that temperature for 10 minutes. Chill the roll.

To Assemble and Serve:
Sear the Pork Matambre Sureños over a high heat, let it rest, slice, and serve with pork jus, salad and crusty bread.