Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Apricots, Apples and Ginger
Now that I'm firmly back in the kitchen (and out of the library - hallelujah!) I'm taking the opportunity to cook things that I've been wanting to cook for ages and this is definitely that.
The weather has taken a bit of a turn for the worse this week and for me that gives me the perfect opportunity to cook something a little more hearty like a good joint of pork. This particular incarnation the classic combination of pork and apples adds ginger into the mix along with lots of fresh herbs, dried fruits and garlic to give it a real flavour punch. The result is a bit of a sensation, even if I do say so myself, and my boyfriend labelled it "the best thing I've ever eaten" so it can't be bad! I served mine with some seasonal veg including some lovely new potatoes slathered with butter.
Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Apricots, Apples and Ginger
Serves 8
For the stuffing:
knob of butter
1 tbsp oil
1 large banana (long) shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 small eating apples, such as Gala
75g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
50g dried mix fruit
3 balls stem ginger in syrup, drained, roughly chopped
75g fresh breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground ginger
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 heaped tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
For the pork:
2 x 500g pork fillets (tenderloin)
approx. 36 back bacon rashers
oil, for greasing
For the gravy:
2 tbsp cornflour
200ml calvados (or other apple based spirit)
500ml chicken stock (or pork if you can get it)
To make the stuffing, melt the butter with the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and gently fry the shallot and garlic for five minutes, stirring regularly until softened, but not coloured. Meanwhile, peel the apple and cut into quarters. Remove the core and roughly chop the flesh.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the apple, apricots, sultanas, stem ginger, breadcrumbs, ground ginger, lemon zest and juice and the herbs. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix well together. Add the measured stem ginger syrup and mix again until the stuffing comes together. Leave to cool.
Put the pork tenderloins on a board and, using a sharp knife, carefully trim off as much excess fat and sinew as possible. Place one of the tenderloins between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until around 1cm/½in thick. Put to one side and repeat the same process with the other tenderloin.
Place a large clean sheet of cling film on the board and arrange the bacon in slightly overlapping lengths on top; making a bacon rectangle roughly 32x28cm/13x11in. (A little longer and just over three times as wide as the flattened pork.) If some of the rashers are a little short, stretch with the back of a knife.
Place one of the tenderloins in the centre of the bacon and spread the stuffing on top. Cover with the other tenderloin to sandwich the stuffing. Bring the bacon up over the top of the pork to enclose it completely, using the cling film to help you. Wrap tightly in more cling film to help hold the shape. Place the pork parcel on its side on a small tray and chill in the fridge for one hour. (At this stage, the pork can be kept overnight in the fridge if preparing ahead.)
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/Gas 6. Unwrap the pork and place on a lightly greased baking tray, with the ends of the bacon underneath. Roast in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the pork is piping hot throughout. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the pork to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest. (If serving the meat cold, simply allow to cool and then wrap in foil and keep in the fridge.)
Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the pork to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest. (If serving the meat cold, simply allow to cool and then wrap in foil and keep in the fridge.) Put the baking tray on the hob and add the calvados. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly and lifting the sticky juices from the bottom of the tin.
Add the stock and then mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water and add that to the tray too. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat, pour in any juices from the pork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into jug. Carve the pork into slices and divide between six warmed dinner plates. Pour a little of the sauce over each serving of pork.
The weather has taken a bit of a turn for the worse this week and for me that gives me the perfect opportunity to cook something a little more hearty like a good joint of pork. This particular incarnation the classic combination of pork and apples adds ginger into the mix along with lots of fresh herbs, dried fruits and garlic to give it a real flavour punch. The result is a bit of a sensation, even if I do say so myself, and my boyfriend labelled it "the best thing I've ever eaten" so it can't be bad! I served mine with some seasonal veg including some lovely new potatoes slathered with butter.
Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Apricots, Apples and Ginger
Serves 8
For the stuffing:
knob of butter
1 tbsp oil
1 large banana (long) shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 small eating apples, such as Gala
75g ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
50g dried mix fruit
3 balls stem ginger in syrup, drained, roughly chopped
75g fresh breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground ginger
1 lemon, finely grated zest and juice
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 heaped tsp flaked sea salt, plus extra to season
freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp stem ginger syrup (from the jar)
For the pork:
2 x 500g pork fillets (tenderloin) approx. 36 back bacon rashers
oil, for greasing
For the gravy:
2 tbsp cornflour
200ml calvados (or other apple based spirit)
500ml chicken stock (or pork if you can get it)
To make the stuffing, melt the butter with the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and gently fry the shallot and garlic for five minutes, stirring regularly until softened, but not coloured. Meanwhile, peel the apple and cut into quarters. Remove the core and roughly chop the flesh.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the apple, apricots, sultanas, stem ginger, breadcrumbs, ground ginger, lemon zest and juice and the herbs. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix well together. Add the measured stem ginger syrup and mix again until the stuffing comes together. Leave to cool.
Put the pork tenderloins on a board and, using a sharp knife, carefully trim off as much excess fat and sinew as possible. Place one of the tenderloins between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until around 1cm/½in thick. Put to one side and repeat the same process with the other tenderloin.
Place a large clean sheet of cling film on the board and arrange the bacon in slightly overlapping lengths on top; making a bacon rectangle roughly 32x28cm/13x11in. (A little longer and just over three times as wide as the flattened pork.) If some of the rashers are a little short, stretch with the back of a knife.
Place one of the tenderloins in the centre of the bacon and spread the stuffing on top. Cover with the other tenderloin to sandwich the stuffing. Bring the bacon up over the top of the pork to enclose it completely, using the cling film to help you. Wrap tightly in more cling film to help hold the shape. Place the pork parcel on its side on a small tray and chill in the fridge for one hour. (At this stage, the pork can be kept overnight in the fridge if preparing ahead.)
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/Gas 6. Unwrap the pork and place on a lightly greased baking tray, with the ends of the bacon underneath. Roast in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the pork is piping hot throughout. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the pork to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest. (If serving the meat cold, simply allow to cool and then wrap in foil and keep in the fridge.)
Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the pork to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest. (If serving the meat cold, simply allow to cool and then wrap in foil and keep in the fridge.) Put the baking tray on the hob and add the calvados. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly and lifting the sticky juices from the bottom of the tin.
Add the stock and then mix the cornflour with 2 tbsp water and add that to the tray too. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from the heat, pour in any juices from the pork and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into jug. Carve the pork into slices and divide between six warmed dinner plates. Pour a little of the sauce over each serving of pork.
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