Winter Recipes
ROAST FILLET OF PORK WITH ORANGE & REDCURRANT SAUCE
This is a very elegant, tasty supper or buffet dish. It can be prepared the day before but equally freezes brilliantly uncooked.
INGREDIENTS
2 pork fillets of equal length, each about l lb (450g) weight, trimmed of all fat
10-12 long rashers of smoked streaky bacon, (rind removed)
STUFFING
1 tablespoon oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
225g (½ lb) Sausage Meat
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 egg yolk
12 -14 dried apricots
Grated rind of a large orange
Freshly ground pepper and salt
THE SAUCE
300ml (½ pt) port
3 -4 tablespoons redcurrant jelly
Juice of a large orange
Split the apricots across giving you 24/28 flat discs.
To make the stuffing, heat the oil in a frying pan, add onion and soften for a few minutes on the boiling plate. Cover, transfer to simmering oven for about 10 minutes to finish cooking. Set aside to cool.
In a large bowl mix the sausage meat, parsley, orange rind and the cooled onions and bind together with the egg yolk and season well.
Split the pork fillets length ways ¾ way through (not in half), cover with cling film and using a rolling pin, or the back of a pan, beat out to flatten. Stretch the bacon with the back of a knife and lay overlapping on a chopping board. Put one fillet on to the bacon, season with black pepper, spread with half the stuffing, then a layer of apricot discs followed by the remaining stuffing and cover with the other fillet (beaten side facing down). Roll up tightly folding each piece of bacon over the roll. Turn the pork fillet over and place in a roasting tin with the end pieces underneath.
At this point you can either chill or freeze the pork well wrapped in cling film.
Slide on to second set of runners in the roasting oven for about 45-55 minutes until the bacon is crisp and the pork is cooked. If you are unsure the middle has cooked use a meat thermometer to check with the cooked pork reading.
In a conventional oven cook at 200*C Gas mark 6
Whilst the pork is roasting make the sauce. Reduce the orange juice on the boiling plate in a small pan to half the quantity. Add the redcurrant jelly and port bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
Serve with a good selection of fresh vegetables and potatoes and the orange sauce warm rather the hot.
