Wed, 7 June 2017
Ingredients
8tbps pesto
350g pork fillet, well trimmed
4-6 slices of serrano ham (or parma)
1tbsp rapeseed oil
4 pork and leek sausages
2tbsps of apple sauce or puree
2tbsps of sautéed little gem
The crisp, salty flavour of the ham blends well with the natural sweetness of the pesto and makes the pork all the more succulent. Be generous when stuffing the pork -- a bit of pesto smeared on the outside is fine.
Place one of the pork fillets on a chopping board with the thickest part facing you and ram the handle of a large wooden spoon through its length. Put the pesto in a piping bag fitted with a 2cm (¾in) plain nozzle and pipe pesto into the hole made in the fillet. Alternatively, insert it with a teaspoon. Spread more pesto all over the fillet using a knife, then wrap it in half of the ham.
Wrap the fillet in Clingfilm tightly to hold a good shape and chill for 1-2 hours. Slice the pork fillet once chilled into 4 portions and remove the cling film.
Heat a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium heat and add the oil and butter. Add the pork fillet portions and cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden, turning once. Transfer to a plate.
Add the sausages to the same pan and cook for 5 minutes, until lightly golden, then return the pork fillet to the pan and transfer to the oven. Roast for 8-10 minutes, until the pork portions are cooked through and the sausages are tender and golden brown.
Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 5 minutes in a warm place, then trim off the ends of the sausages to neaten.
For the sautéed little gem
1 head of little gem sliced thinly and sautéed in some butter, oil and salt.
Red wine sauce
1tbsps balsamic vinegar
150ml red wine
1tsp light brown sugar
150ml beef or lamb stock
1tsp fresh thyme leaves
1tsp of gravy browning
Method
Heat a small pan and pour in the vinegar, madeira and red wine. Boil until reduced by half and then add the sugar, stock and thyme and reduce to a sauce consistency which should coat the back of a spoon. Add in the gravy browning, pass the sauce through a sieve, season to taste and keep warm.
To Plate Up
Place the sautéed little gem firstly on the plate, half the pork fillet and sit on the little gem. Use the apple sauce to design the plate with either dots/lines/swirls. And to finish slice the sausage at an angle and serve standing up. Spoon over the sauce and enjoy
