Pork Tenderloin/ Steak

(All Recipes have Gluten-Free Options)

Medallions of Pork with Prunes & Cognac (Serves 4)

As Rick Stein says in his cookbook ‘Secret France’, this is one of those recipes which has been around forever. Indeed, I have cooked it in various forms over the years, but it is this recipe from Stein’s aforementioned cookbook that is the winner (so far!).  Apart from being delicious, it’s a recipe that is very quick and easy to cook, hence its ongoing popularity. It’s great served with ‘My Favourite Mash’ and ‘Sautéed Spinach with Garlic’ (recipes here).

30g butter

2 teaspoons olive oil

700g pork fillet (tenderloin), trimmed of slivery sinew and cut into 1 cm rounds

2 banana shallots, chopped

60ml Cognac or brandy

150ml double cream

250ml chicken stock

2 teaspoons redcurrant jelly

A few fresh thyme sprigs

12 ready-to-eat pitted prunes

Small handful flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Heat half the butter with the oil in a frying pan and brown the pork medallions for 1-2 minutes, then set them aside.
  2. Add the remaining butter and gently fry the shallots until softened. Then add the Cognac and cook for a minute or so until the liquid is reduced by half.
  3. Add the cream, chicken stock, redcurrant jelly, thyme sprigs and prunes, and cook for a couple of minutes before putting the pork medallions and any of their juices back in the pan. Taste and season with salt and plenty of pepper, then cook for a further 3-4 minutes until the pork is just cooked through.
  4. To serve, remove the thyme and sprinkle with the parsley.

Pork Steak with Mustard & Gherkin Sauce (Serves 4)

Pork collar steak is a cut of meat which is often overlooked, it’s a shame as not only is it one of the cheaper cuts of meat but it is also very tasty. This recipe shows just how special it can be. I found the recipe in Daniel Galmiche’s ‘French Brasserie Cookbook’, it really is an inspiration; the sharpness of the gherkin and mustard in the sauce beautifully cuts the richness of the cream and pork. It is super quick to cook, all it needs is a good crisp salad and perhaps some ‘homemade chips’, or on a cold night, some creamy mash potato is great for mopping up the sauce! (recipes here).

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 pork collar steaks, about 150g each

30g butter

160ml double cream

2 teaspoons wholegrain mustard

4 tarragon sprigs, leaves roughly chopped

8 small gherkins (cornichons), halved and sliced into strips

Sea salt and black pepper

  1. Warm the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the steaks and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown, adding the butter when you turn them over. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
  2. Add 4 tablespoons of water to the pan, stirring to deglaze it. Bring this liquid to a simmer over a low heat and slowly stir in the cream and mustard, then add the gherkins and tarragon and season with salt and pepper.
  3. When the sauce is heated through, pour over the steaks and serve.

Medallions of Pork with Rhubarb Salsa and Sautéed Spinach (Serves 4)

Rhubarb isn’t just for dessert, it works well with savoury dishes too, as it’s fruity, tart flavour really complements meat such as pork or duck. This dish is very good with Sautéed Spinach and Baby Roast Potatoes (recipes here).

2 pork tenderloins (trimmed of any fat and silverskin)

40g butter

For the Salsa:

225g rhubarb

60ml white wine

2 tablespoons redcurrant jelly

2 tablespoons crème fraiche

1 teaspoon sugar

A pinch of salt

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

  1. Cut the rhubarb  into small slices (about 1cm). Place in a saucepan with the white wine and gently cook until it becomes ‘mushy’ and tender. Purée until smooth – a stick blender is ideal for this or you can use a food processor.
  2. Melt the jelly in a saucepan, then add the rhubarb purée, crème fraîche, sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and nutmeg.
  3. Meanwhile, cut the tenderloins, into 2cm slices. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the medallions over a medium to high heat for about 3-4 minutes on each side – you want them to still be a little pink.
  4. Serve the warm salsa over the pork medallions. Serve with Sautéed Spinach and Baby Roast Potatoes (recipes here).