Prune-Stuffed Pork Loin

Celebrate the holidays in style with this eye-catching pork loin stuffed with prunes. Dried apricots, dried figs, dried cherries, raisins or a combination of fruits can be used instead of prunes or together with them, if you prefer. Also add a few lemon halves to the baking dish in the middle of cooking as a side dish.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Using a sharp knife, remove any excess fat from the loin, leaving a 1/4-inch thick layer of fat on top. Use a long, thin, sharp knife to make holes in the center of both ends of the loin. Working from both ends, use the handle of a large wooden spoon to make a groove around the entire center of the loin. Take out the spoon and poke the handle a few more times, expanding the recess. Using a few pieces of prunes, squeeze them into the recess with your fingers and the handle of a spoon. Work from both ends until the cavity is filled from edge to edge.Place the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, lemon juice, and thyme on a cutting board. Grind to a paste. Rub the paste all over the stuffed loin, put the fat side up in a baking dish and pour 1/2 cup of water. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 ° F. Continue baking, adding water to the pan if necessary to prevent burning, until the meat thermometer set in the center of the meat reads 145 ° F, 40 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cover loosely with foil.In a roasting pan, remove the fat from the juices and place the pan on 2 burners on the stove over medium heat. Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Cook until it is reduced by about half and slightly thickened, 5-10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.Cut the fried meat into slices and serve warm, drizzled with juice.