by Nigel Barden
A glorious, rich pork dish which partners brilliantly with the creamy Italian blue cheese, Dolcelatte, alongside the tart sweetness of apple (British please) in a garlicky cheese sauce. Serve on a mound of buttery mashed potato with kale or spinach. This dish also works well using pork chops.
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking 25 mins
Serves 4-5
Ingredients
500-700g pork fillet(s) cut into slices
1 bulb garlic, cloves peeled and left whole
sea salt and ground black pepper
40g unsalted butter
75ml cider or apple juice, or 45ml apple cider brandy or Calvados
5 x dessert apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
75ml Dijon mustard
125ml Mascarpone or crème fraîche
50ml chicken stock
25ml apple cider vinegar
1 x pack 150g Dolcelatte, crumbled
1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
For the Caramelised Apple Garnish
2 dessert apples, peeled, quartered, cored and sliced
2 tsp light brown or muscovado sugar
15g unsalted butter
Method
1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and cook the garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside until needed.
2. Season the pork slices and heat half the butter in a large frying pan. Seal and brown the pork on each side in batches, adding more butter as necessary. Remove and set aside in a warm place.
3. In the same pan, put the blanched garlic, cider or apple juice, or brandy or Calvados, sliced apple and mustard. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, add the Mascarpone, chicken stock and apple cider vinegar and cook for a further 10 minutes or until a good creamy consistency and the apples are tender.
4. While the sauce is cooking, in a separate frying pan, make the garnish by caramelising the apple slices in a little butter with a dusting of brown sugar, & keep to one side.
5. Using a fork, squash the garlic into the sauce, being careful not to squash the apples.
6. Return the pork to the pan, season and bring to a gentle boil.
7. Just before serving, add the chopped parsley and Dolcelatte cheese.
8. Serve the pork slices with the sauce on a mound of buttery mash and kale, or spinach. Garnish with the caramelised apple slices.
Nigel recommends drinking with this dish; Waitrose non-alcoholic cider, & an alcoholic cider: The Boxer from The Wobbly Press.
