Chef Martin Anderson
Love it or hate it you have to admit there is a certain meat that doesn’t get as much attention as it should .
Firstly I’m not chatting about bacon! Every meat eater loves bacon, boiled, fried or grilled, it’s tasty at any time of the day or night but there are many more cuts on the humble pig.
We’ve all had the gammon at Christmas time, we all love pork chops for dinner, roast leg of pork or even braised shoulder is so tasty, you can even boil the head and make pate if you wish.
Nearly all the pork and bacon we eat is mass produced, injected with salt to make it weigh more and to preserve it in many cases. On occasion it even tastes of fish because of the food that the wee piggy is fed.
When I order pork for myself I try to buy outdoor or free range pork, the taste is completely different and amazing.
Indoor reared pigs don’t put on as much fat because they don’t have to keep warm. Outdoor reared pigs do, there is a lovely layer of fat around the loin the legs and the shoulders and we all know that this is where the flavour is.
It was such a tradition to serve the crispy skin of the pork loin along with the Sunday roast but that has nearly died out now and in many cases it is left to restaurants and hotels. They use it as a garnish but when I was a young chef there were fights over who was going to get eating the crispy bits.
One thing I have noticed is how inexpensive pork fillet has become. This is the tenderest part of the pig and a full fillet will feed a family of four easily.
They can be bought in supermarkets or ordered from the butcher. The country markets will be starting up soon and there are many craft butchers attending them. There are only 2 fillets per animal which makes me wonder why they are cheap so take advantage of it while it lasts.
When you buy the fillet you will have to trim some of the fat off it but this is easily done or ask your butcher to do it for you .
You may then stuff them, roast them plain, cut them into medallions and pan fry them or even cut them into thin strips for stir frying. Pork has a mild meat flavour and takes to marinating very well.
It’s relatively low in fat and anyway I never minded eating the fatty bits. It’s the added fats that are bad for you. So if you are looking for a good meat for dinner a Sunday roast, a healthy option of if you want to experiment with the recipe below ……..give pork a chance .
Roast fillet of pork in puff pastry, gingered Swede, grain mustard cream.
Allow 1 whole fillet of pork for 4 covers.
This recipe uses shop bought puff pastry, you may use filo pastry but it tends to be very fragile after cooking and breaks easily.
You will need.
1 Fillet of pork, trimmed and seasoned.
1 packet of frozen puff pastry ( defrosted )
Rapeseed Oil for cooking
100g of Melted butter for cooking.
2 egg yolks, beaten with a little salt.
Slices of wholemeal bread with the crusts removed.
2 tsp of garlic paste mixed with a little olive oil.
3 tbls of Grain mustard , a value brand will do it doesn’t have to be the expensive stuff.
300mls of Pouring cream.
1/4 pint of Gravy , make using gravy granules if you wish , chicken flavour is best .
I medium Swede/ turnip peeled and diced.
Fresh ginger, grated or ginger paste.
Fresh chopped herbs, parsley and sage will be tasty .
Seasoning.
Method.
Heat a little oil in a pan and seal your pork fillet, turning and browning on all sides and ends, allow to cool.
Roll your pastry to half its original thickness, making sure that it is long enough to fit the piece of pork.
Roll your slices of bread in the same way, brushing with your garlic paste.
To assemble.
Brush your pastry with the melted butter. Brush the edges with the egg.
Place the bread on top leaving a border around the edge. Dust with the herbs.
Place your fillet onto the bread at the side nearest you, roll the pastry, bread and fillet away from you sealing in the edges as you go along, it should resemble a large sausage roll.
Place on a buttered and floured tray, decorating the pastry as desired and brushing with the beaten egg yolk.
Bake at 170c until golden in colour making sure the pork is cooked.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest.
While the pork is cooking , simmer your Swede in boiling salted water, when cooked ,drain mash and dry in the same pot adding a good knob of butter and either your ginger paste of fresh ginger ,heat through.
In a separate pot add the cream and grain mustard , heat until it begins to boil and add your gravy forming a creamy sauce.
To serve.
Slice your fillet into 4 equal pieces. Slice each piece on the diagonal.
Spoon the Swede onto the side of your plate, making a design if you wish.
Tower your fillet pieces side by side, spooning the sauce around the plate, remember less is more.
