Pineapple Glazed Pork Roast with Bacon Wild Rice Stuffing

[nverland]

Pineapple Glazed Pork Roast with Bacon Wild Rice Stuffing.
Prep time: 30 MINUTES cook time: 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES total time: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES SERVES 6

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup uncooked wild rice
1 teaspoon salt
6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
10 ounces fresh or frozen spinach (thawed if frozen)
1 cup roasted pistachios
8 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 (2 1/2 pound) pork loin roast
1/2 cup grainy mustard
1/2 cup brown sugar
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 medium pineapple (about 5 cups), peeled, cored + diced
1 medium delicata squash, halved, deseeded + sliced into half moons

Instructions

Cook the wild rice according to package directions. I brought 4 cups water to a boil, added the rice and simmered, covered for 45 minutes until the rice was fluffy and the water absorbed. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until the fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until the bacon crisps, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt into the bacon mushroom mixture. Once the rice is cooked, stir in the bacon mixture + all the drippings from the pan. Stir in the pistachios and then crumble in the feta. Season the rice with salt + pepper. Place pork, fat side down, on work surface with 1 short end facing you. Using long thin sharp knife and starting 1/2 inch above underside of roast, cut 1/2 inch in along right side. Continue cutting 1/2 inch above underside, unrolling roast like carpet. I found this how-to really helpful. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Position an oven rack in the middle of the oven. Once your pork roast is in a flat piece, use a meat mallet to pound the pork so that most of the meat is in one even layer. Spread about 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the wild rice over the pork. Roll up pork; arrange seam side down on work surface (fat side will be facing up). Using kitchen string, tie at 1- to 1 1/2-inch intervals. Transfer pork, fat side up, to roasting pan. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Rub the pork all over with the mustard and then sprinkle on the brown sugar + cayenne. Add the pineapple. Roast pork for 25 minutes at 425 degrees F. Add the squash rounds and reduce the oven temperature to 375. Continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of loin registers 140-160 degrees F. (it will be cooked medium but still slightly pink), about 35-50 minutes. Let the roast rest for at least 20 minutes before slicing. Serve the pork alongside the remaining rice + roasted squash and pomegranate arils (if desired).