SERVES 4

1.35 kg | 3 lb loin of pork without skin or much fat
oil for frying
15 g | ½ oz butter
1 onion, finely chopped
290 ml | ½ pint brown stock (see page 102)
100 ml | 3 ½ fl oz red wine
110 g | 4 oz no-need-to-soak prunes
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly
2 springs of fresh thyme
150 ml | ¼ pint single cream

To garnish
1 small bunch of watercress

  1. Preheat the over to 150°C | 300°F | gas mark 2.
  2. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole. Add the butter and, when foaming, add the pork. Fry until lightly browned all over. Add the onion and fry until golden.
  3. Add the stock, wine, one-third of the prunes, the redcurrant jelly, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to boil, then cover and cook in the oven for 1 ½ hours.
  4. Remove the pork from the casserole and slice neatly. Arrange in overlapping slices on a serving dish and keep warm in the turned-off oven while you make the sauce.
  5. Strain the cooking liquor, removing any excess fat. Boil until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Add the cream and remaining prunes.
  6. Spoon the sauce over the pork and garnish with watercress.

wine: MEDUIM RED

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Excerpt from Leiths Cookery Bible

[Leith, P., and Waldegrave, C., (2003), Leiths Cookery Bible, 3rd edition, Bloomburys, UK]