Roast Pork Fillet with Pumpkin Mash and Apple Salad

, from Issue #54. September, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Roast Pork Fillet with Pumpkin Mash and Apple Salad

Root vegetables and pork are a great pairing and pumpkin, parsnips or carrots can all be used to make the mash.

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS

700 grams pork fillets
2 teaspoons finely chopped rosemary
700 grams crown pumpkin, peeled
4 large unpeeled garlic cloves
2 tablespoons cream
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Salad
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons currants
1 large crisp apple, julienned
small handful parsley leaves

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Cut the pumpkin into medium chunks and toss with a little olive oil and season generously. Place on a large baking tray with the whole garlic cloves and roast for about 30 minutes until tender, turning once during cooking.

Trim any sinew off the pork and rub with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper then roll in the rosemary. Heat a large sauté pan with a dash of oil and brown the pork on all sides. Place in the oven and cook for 15–20 minutes until just cooked. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the pork. Cover loosely and rest for 10 minutes.

Tip the hot pumpkin into a bowl. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins and add to the pumpkin along with the cream and season. Roughly mash everything together with a fork.

Salad: Whisk the oil, lemon juice and garlic in a large bowl and season. Add the currants, apple and parsley and toss together.

To serve: Divide the mash between plates. Slice the pork and place over the mash and top with the salad. Drizzle over any dressing left in the bowl and the resting juices from the pork.