Pork Loin With Mushrooms, Figs and Chestnuts
Daniel Galmiche is back with this seasonal dish of Pork Loin With Mushrooms, Figs and Chestnuts. He has also included a recipe to make your own chicken stock too!
Ingredients
- 4 pork tenderloin fillets, about 150g/5½oz each, trimmed
- 80g/2¾oz unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 200g/7oz mixed wild or cultivated mushrooms
- 12 cooked whole chestnuts
- 4 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 medium-firm figs, quartered
- 200ml/7f1 oz/scant 1 cup Chicken Stock (see below)
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Boiled rice (optional), to serve
Stock (if making)
- 2kg/4lb 8oz chicken wings or bones, or 2 chicken carcasses
- 1 thyme sprig
- 2 carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
- 1 small handful of parsley stems
- 1 small onion, unpeeled and halved
- 6 black peppercorns
Method
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes, plus making the stock
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
- Season the pork fillets with pepper, then tightly wrap each one in cling film (plastic wrap). Twist and secure each end with a knot, pushing out any air. Put a large saucepan of water on to simmer, with a steamer insert on top. Put the pork parcels in the steamer, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 12 minutes, then remove and leave to rest for 1 minute until cool enough to handle. Remove the cling film and pat the pork dry with paper towel.
- Heat a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. Add 20g/¾oz of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil and when the butter is foaming, add the pork and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned all over. The pork should still be slightly pink in the centre, which is perfect. (Alternatively, brown in an ovenproof frying pan as above, instead of steaming, then transfer the pork to an oven preheated to 140°C/275°F/gas 1 for 7-9 minutes. Remove and leave to rest for 1 minute.)
- While the pork is cooking, heat 20g/¾oz of the butter and the remaining oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. When the butter is foaming, add the mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes until they have released all their juices and are golden. Add the chestnuts and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar and deglaze the pan by stirring to remove any caramelized bits stuck to the bottom. Add the figs, pour in the stock and cook for 3-4 minutes until reduced by one-quarter, then add the remaining butter. Cook for a further 2 minutes until the sauce has reduced and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chives.
- Cut each pork fillet into diagonal slices and spoon the mushroom mixture over the top before serving with rice, if you like.
Stock
Makes 2ltr
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes, plus at least 1 hour cooling
COOKING TIME: 2-2½ hours
- Put all the ingredients in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Add 41/140f1 oz/16 cups of cold water, bring to the boil, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer, uncovered, for 2-2½ hours until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve (strainer), using a ladle to help you, then leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
- If you want to freeze the stock, divide the cooled stock into small plastic tubs with lids, leaving some space for it to expand, and pop the containers in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
Ingredients
- 4 pork tenderloin fillets, about 150g/5½oz each, trimmed
- 80g/2¾oz unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 200g/7oz mixed wild or cultivated mushrooms
- 12 cooked whole chestnuts
- 4 tbsp sherry vinegar
- 2 medium-firm figs, quartered
- 200ml/7f1 oz/scant 1 cup Chicken Stock (see below)
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Boiled rice (optional), to serve
Stock (if making)
- 2kg/4lb 8oz chicken wings or bones, or 2 chicken carcasses
- 1 thyme sprig
- 2 carrots, peeled and halved lengthways
- 1 small handful of parsley stems
- 1 small onion, unpeeled and halved
- 6 black peppercorns
Method
PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes, plus making the stock
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
- Season the pork fillets with pepper, then tightly wrap each one in cling film (plastic wrap). Twist and secure each end with a knot, pushing out any air. Put a large saucepan of water on to simmer, with a steamer insert on top. Put the pork parcels in the steamer, turn the heat down to low, cover and cook for 12 minutes, then remove and leave to rest for 1 minute until cool enough to handle. Remove the cling film and pat the pork dry with paper towel.
- Heat a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. Add 20g/¾oz of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil and when the butter is foaming, add the pork and cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned all over. The pork should still be slightly pink in the centre, which is perfect. (Alternatively, brown in an ovenproof frying pan as above, instead of steaming, then transfer the pork to an oven preheated to 140°C/275°F/gas 1 for 7-9 minutes. Remove and leave to rest for 1 minute.)
- While the pork is cooking, heat 20g/¾oz of the butter and the remaining oil in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium-high heat. When the butter is foaming, add the mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes until they have released all their juices and are golden. Add the chestnuts and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sherry vinegar and deglaze the pan by stirring to remove any caramelized bits stuck to the bottom. Add the figs, pour in the stock and cook for 3-4 minutes until reduced by one-quarter, then add the remaining butter. Cook for a further 2 minutes until the sauce has reduced and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chives.
- Cut each pork fillet into diagonal slices and spoon the mushroom mixture over the top before serving with rice, if you like.
Stock
Makes 2ltr
PREPARATION TIME: 10 minutes, plus at least 1 hour cooling
COOKING TIME: 2-2½ hours
- Put all the ingredients in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a high heat. Add 41/140f1 oz/16 cups of cold water, bring to the boil, then skim off any foam that rises to the surface. Turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer, uncovered, for 2-2½ hours until the liquid has reduced by half.
- Remove from the heat and pass through a sieve (strainer), using a ladle to help you, then leave to cool for at least 1 hour.
- If you want to freeze the stock, divide the cooled stock into small plastic tubs with lids, leaving some space for it to expand, and pop the containers in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
