I am determined to expand my cooking repertoire that features pork. Pictures of pork based dishes in recipe books and cooking magazines make my mouth water, especially during the winter months when belly warming dishes are in demand. Plus, pork is a lean and nutritious source of protein rich in vitamins B6, B12, Omega-3, zinc and selenium.  

Despite feeling confident about incorporating other types of meat, seafood, vegetables, spices, herbs and key ingredients into my family meals, I feel a little nervous when it comes to determining the correct method of cooking specific cuts of pork. This is not a cut of meat that I grew up eating on a regular basis, unless it was at a function and then the pork on offer was always overpowering in flavour. I have since learned that “boar taint” was the reason for this “porky smell” and can be avoided by purchasing good quality, well bred pork from a reputable supplier. 

For this evening’s dinner I turned to a fellow foodie friend for advice about how to cook pork fillet. Stephanie is an accomplished home cook of cross cultural cuisines, with several pork based recipes under her belt. In fact she raves about a particular recipe by Matthew Evans for pork goulash and her enthusiasm is encouraging me to experiment more with this readily available meat. Upon her advice I simmered my Tender Pork with Sticky Apple, Prune and Fennel Sauce on the stove top with sensational results. Not only did the house smell divine with the aroma of fennel, fruit and sweet pork, but the sauce created by the simmering juices was a hit with all the children especially when spooned over fluffy mash and served alongside steamed broccoli and a crisp cabbage salad. This is definitely a dish that I shall make again. 

Tender Pork with Sticky Apple, Prune and Fennel Sauce to serve 8 people

Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
100 g unsalted butter
1.5 kg pink pork fillet sliced into 4 -5 cm medallions
1 tablespoon plain flour
1 Spanish onion finely diced
1 large apple peeled and sliced thickly
16 pitted prunes
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
sea salt and black pepper to taste
125 ml sweet white wine
250 ml chicken stock

Melt the butter and a splash of olive oil over a medium heat in a heavy based pot. Sear the pork medallions in 4 batches, adding a sprinkle of the plain flour to each batch. 

Add the Spanish onion, apple, prunes, fennel seeds, rosemary, salt and pepper to the pot and saute over a low heat for 15 minutes so that the mixture deepens in colour, becomes glossy and lip smackingly sticky. 

Add back the seared pork with the white wine and chicken stock. Bring to the boil briefly, then reduce the heat back to low. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce sticking to the bottom of the pot. You may need to add a splash of boiling water if this happens. 

Serve with fluffy mash or buttered rice, a crunchy salad  – we enjoyed shaved red cabbage salad with a dash of vino cotto – along with steamed greens. A balanced, delicious and easy to prepare family feast.