Pork with Red Wine and Prunes

From issue #7.
Photography by Vanessa Wu.
Pork with Red Wine and Prunes

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

4 pork fillets

Stuffing
zest of 1 orange and 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
10 prunes, roughly chopped
8-10 long strips streaky bacon
8 bay leaves
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce
10 prunes, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
juice of 1 orange
150 ml red wine
150 ml good chicken stock
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Pork: Pre-heat the oven to 200°C. Combine the orange and lemon zest, crushed garlic, rosemary and prunes in a small bowl. Slice the pork fillets open lengthwise, without cutting all the way through and open out like a book. Season the meat then divide the filling between the fillets. Fold the pork closed and wrap the bacon around with a bay leaf each side. Tie with string.

Heat a heavy based oven-proof sauté pan with a little oil and brown the pork on all sides. Place the pan in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside, lightly covered, to rest. Keep the sauté pan for the sauce.

Sauce: Place the pan back on the heat. Add the prunes, garlic, orange juice and the wine, stock, nutmeg and cloves. Stir well, scraping up any sediment on the bottom and reduce until syrupy over a high heat. Season.
Remove the string and bay leaves from the pork and cut into thick slices. Place on a platter and pour over the sauce. Garnish with the bay leaves. Serve with crispy sautéed potatoes and a green salad or green beans. Serves 4-6