3 tb spoons Cognac or other Brandy

1/2ts kosher salt

3 tb spoons water

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 center cut pork roast 4lbs

1/3 cup dried apricots, coarsely chopped

2tb spoons vegetable oil

¼ cup whole almonds, toasted and chopped

1 cup crème fraiche or sour cream

1 medium shallots, minced

½ cup Dijon Mustard

3tb spoons unsalted butter (softened)    
       
1ts fennel seeds, toasted and crushed

Warm the cognac and water in a small saucepan, add the cranberries and apricots, and set aside until plump, about 10 minutes. In a small food processor, pulse the fruit and any unabsorbed liquid with the almonds, shallot, butter, fennel seeds, 1/2 ts spoon salt, and pepper, to taste, until the fruit and nuts are coarsely chopped.

With a boning knife or other long, thin knife, make a cut 3 inches across the center of one end of the roast. Gently push and work the blade in and straight through the roast to the other end. Insert the narrow end of a wooden spoon into the opening to widen it a bit all the way through. Push the stuffing into the loin, working first from 1 end and then the other, filling the center.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Pat the loin dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium high heat. Add the roast, holding the bones up so the bottom gets well browned, and then turn the roast to brown the meaty side, about 6 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the pork meat side down for 30 mins. Turn the roast over so it sits on the bones and roast until the internal temp reaches 155 degrees, about 1 hour more. Remove form heat, cover with foil tent for no less then 10 mins allowing the meat to rest before cutting.

Whisk the crème fraiche or sour cream with the mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Slice roast between the bones to make individual chops, arrange them on a platter and serve with mustard sauce.