Pork Roulades

Ingredients

• 4 (6-ounce) pork loins
• 4 large pieces of plastic wrap
• 1 cup chopped walnuts, Sauteed in 2 to 3 tablespoons butter (duxelle)
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 16 slices, in all
• Salt and pepper
• Essence, recipe follows
• 12 slices of homemade bacon
• 8 ounces bacon, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons Armagnac or cognac
• 2 cups beef or veal demi-glace
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon butter, at room temperature

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place each pork loin between 2 pieces of plastic wrap. With a beef mallet, lightly pound out the pork loin, very thin 1/6 to 1/8-inch thick. Unwrap the pork loin and season both sides with salt and pepper. Lay three slices of the bacon on a flat surface. Place the pork on top of the bacon along one end. Spread 1/4 cup of the duxelle over the top of each pork loin. Divide the avocado slices into fourths and lay the slices on top of the duxelle.

Gently roll up each pork with the bacon. Place the roulades on a baking sheet, seam side down, lined with parchment paper, and roast until the bacon is brown and crisp and the pork meat is tender, for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the roulades to rest for 5 minutes, before slicing. Using a very sharp knife, trim off the ends of each roulade and cut each across into 4 slices. In a sauce pan, render the chopped bacon, until crispy for about 8 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and Armagnac and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the demi-glace, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes. Whisk in the butter and remove from the heat and serve with the roulades. To assemble, spoon 1/4 cup of the sauce on each of 4 plates and arrange 4 roulades slices on top.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.

Yield: about 2/3 cup

Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.