Recipe For Sliced Pork Loin Sandwich With Figs and Manchego Cheese Inspired by The Sentinel

'Wich of the Week: Pork Loin With Figs and Manchego

July 15, 2009

"The Sentinel has a sandwich with figs on it today!" a coworker alerted me on Tuesday morning. I love figs, and I love sandwiches, so I hightailed it over to the SF sandwich shop founded by local chef Dennis Leary.
This was my third time trying The Sentinel's expensive sandwiches, and though this was my favorite so far, I was still somewhat disappointed. Why? Because I expect a place whose menu changes seasonally to use seasonal ingredients, like figs, but this sandwich was sweetened with fig spread. The menu promised fresh figs! But now for the good news.

Thankfully, the combination of pork loin, figs or fig spread, and manchego cheese was delectable, and using fig preserves makes this super easy to put together at home. Or if you've got great fresh figs, try slicing those up instead. I've whipped up a similar recipe below, so give it a try.

Inspired by The Sentinel

Pork Loin Sandwich With Figs and Manchego

Ingredients

1 pork tenderloin
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
Salt
2 soft wheat rolls
4 tablespoons fig preserves
4 slices manchego cheese
1 cup frisee

Directions

Preheat oven to 500°F. Place the pork in a roasting pan, rub with olive oil and salt to taste. Roast for 10 minutes on each side. Remove from oven and let rest. Turn the oven down to 200°F.
Slice the pork tenderloin into 1/4-inch thick slices. (You may have pork leftover.)
Split the rolls in half horizontally and spread 1 tablespoon of fig preserves on the bottom half of each roll.
Lay 4-5 slices of the pork on the bottom roll, covering the fig preserves. Top with 2 manchego cheese slices. Place both the bottom and tops of each roll on a baking sheet and heat in the oven until rolls are warm but not toasted.
Place 1/2 cup of frisee on top of the melted cheese, then spread remaining fig preserves on top half of roll. Close the sandwich and cut in half to serve.

Makes 2 sandwiches.