This dish does take time, you’ll be glad though that you took the time to create it for your future husband! It’s really a unique blend of different flavours, the flavour profile is complex and decadent. Your taste buds and fiancé will both thank you.
Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and celery; cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 minutes 5 Minutes. Add apple, chopped thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apple is beginning to soften, about 2 minutes 2 Minutes. Add garlic, cinnamon and allspice; cook, stirring, for 1 minute 1 Minute.
Add bulgur and stir for a few seconds to cover with flavours. Add broth, bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the bulgur is tender and liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes 15 Minutes.
Meanwhile, combine dried cranberries and apple juice in a small saucepan and simmer for a few minutes then remove from heat. Set aside to plump.
Toast cashews in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until light golden and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes 2 Minutes. Coarsely chop cashews. When the bulgur is ready, discard the bay leaf. Add the cranberries, toasted nuts, parsley and season salt and pepper; fluff with a fork. Transfer the mixture to a bowl to cool. Rinse out the skillet.
Place four 12-inch (30 cm) lengths of kitchen string (or whatever string you have) equally spaced under pork. Spread the bulgur stuffing mixture in the centre of the pork, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Starting at the edge of the ‘long side’, pull up the pork to enclose the filling. To keep the stuffing from falling out during roasting, fold in about 1 inch of the two short ends (if you can). Tie kitchen string firmly around the pork and secure the ends. Lightly brush the roast with 1 teaspoon oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and brown the pork on all sides, about 4 minutes 4 Minutes total. Transfer the roast to a roasting pan. Place in the oven and roast until the internal temperature reaches 145-150°F, about 15-20 minutes 15 Minutes. Tent with foil and let rest on a clean cutting board for 5 minutes 5 Minutes (the temperature will rise 5 degrees).
Return the roasting pan to the stovetop over a medium-high heat. Melt butter, sauté garlic until just browned. Make a roux - add flour to the pan drippings and scrape up all the brown flavour from the pan.
As the roux cooks, it will turn a darker brown colour (this takes about 5 minutes 5 Minutes. The flour will become fragrant, you will smell it baking - almost like shortbread cookies!
Slowly add your apple juice and stir constantly to avoid lumps forming. Slowly add 1 cup of the stock and stir until smooth. Bring to a slight boil and cook until thickened and reduced (about 8 minutes 8 Minutes), season to taste. It will continue to thicken after you turn off the heat. If you like a thinner gravy, add the additional cup of stock.
Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard. Slice the pork into 1-inch thick pieces and serve with the savoury pan gravy.
Serving Size 6 servings (think leftovers)