Grilled Mustard Herb Pork Loin Scallopine

I use the term scallopine a bit loosely - more to refer to the thinly sliced and pounded pork, and not to any flour coating.  Instead I marinate the butterflied roast to flavor boldly, then grill quickly over high heat.

I like to serve this type of grilled meat with creamy white beans.
3-lb boneless pork loin roast, butterflied in thirds (see Cook’s Note)

Mustard Herb Marinade:
palmful lemon balm leaves, or zest of 1 lemon
palmful fresh mint leaves
2 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp Whole Grain Dijon mustard (I used blackberry Dijon)
1 tsp crushed dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice

Place the lemon balm, mint and garlic in a small food processor and pulse until minced. Add the remaining marinade ingredients and process to combine.

Turn the marinate into a 9x-13-inch casserole (or a ziplock bag) and turn the butterflied roast in the marinade several times. Cover and allow to marinate at least an hour or overnight in the refrigerator.

Heat a grill to high. Using tongs, remove the scallopine from the marinade and lay on the hot grill. Grill for a total of about 5-8 minutes, turning several times, until the pork is just cooked through. Because the pork is so thin, it will cook very, very quickly.

Transfer scallopine to a cutting board and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes, covered. Slice and serve at once.

Cook's Note

To butterfly the pork loin roast
Use a VERY freshly sharpened knife, and slice slowly in small back and forth slices.

 First, lay the roast in front of you like a closed book. Cut a slit two-thirds of the way from the bottom of the book along the full length, as if you were slowly prying the book open a third of the way through. Bring the cut to no closer than 1/2-inch to the left side (the book’s binding).

Now fold the cover of the 'roast book’ open and over to the left. Where you stopped cutting, point the knife down and cut down about another one third to the base of the roast. Stop, and turn the knife to the right and start cutting back to the right. Again, stop at least 1/2-inch before coming to the right end. Lay the second flap now over to the right.

Place the butterflied roast on a large cutting board and cover with a large sheet of plastic wrap. Using a wooden mallet, gently pound the roast to even out the layer, especially at the two ends where you stopped cutting - they will be at one third and two thirds of the length of the scallopine. The roast should be pounded to about 1/4-inch or just slightly thicker, but even across the scallopine.