Stuffed Pork Tenderloin wrapped in ham

This is a dish that has been in the family for years... so long, in fact, that it's not even in my ancient, handwritten recipes book!

The ingredients we used were 6 slices parma ham (could also use serrano or proscuitto), about 85g blue cheese (we used gorgonzola), 2 Tablespoons of sundried tomatoes (ours had been preserved in oil), a generous handful of spinach (ours were fresh baby leaf, but frozen is also fine - use about three blocks) and a loin of pork in a piece (ours was about 450g).

The pork loin was prepared by carefully removing the sinew from the outside (we used a sharp knife for this - makes it easier to slice close to the tough bits that need removing).  Then the loin was cut along its length but NOT all the way through.

It was then opened out and, with a piece of baking paper on top, was bashed with a rolling pin (or you could use a meat tenderiser) to an even thickness of about 1cm.


Whilst the pork was being prepared, the tomatoes and spinach were heated through in a pan on a medium heat.



As soon as the spinach had wilted, the blue cheese was added and mixed through.

The spinach, cheese, tomato mix was then placed along the length of the loin and the edges were gently pulled together (this can be a bit fiddly and you may have to adjust the amount of filling needed depending on how thinly the pork has been beaten out).

Carefully wrapping the filled loin with ham, the edges were covered and then the meat was wrapped, as tightly as possible in greaseproof paper.

Placing the meat in the fridge, it was left to cool for an hour (longer is fine, can be prepared to this stage the day before).

To cook, the meat was placed in a roasting tin and put in a pre-heated 170ºC fan oven.

We cooked ours for 35minutes as it was very well chilled before going into the oven.  The meat was checked for level of cook by inserting a metal skewer, making sure it was warm at the tip, and seeing if the meat juices ran clear.  If it's not done enough, return to oven and set timer for another 3-5 minutes until cooked to your liking.

The meat was then rested on a carving board for ten minutes.

Carving the meat, it was served with vegetables and roasted mixed potatoes.

When cooled completely, it carves well and we often use it as a cold picnic meat.

Sticky Pork with Apple

In case you overindulged over  the 'Festive Season' and have now embarked on a calorie counted diet or are doing the 5:2 fasting diet, this is a recipe from Jaqueline Whitehart's "the complete 2-day fasting diet" cookbook which our whole family likes.  We made this, with properly weighed out portions for me (doing the 5:2) and the others had theirs with amounts that weren't restricted, potatoes over the 'measured' amount and served together with peas and sweetcorn.

The ingredients we used for one were 100g pork tenderloin (fat and sinew removed and sliced), half a red apple (cored and sliced), half a shallot (peeled and thinly sliced), garlic clove (peeled and crushed), half a Tablespoon of grainy mustard, half a Tablespoon of maple syrup and one teaspoon of cider vinegar.  Using a small amount of olive oil for cooking (half a teaspoon), one portion represents 242 calories and, served with 100g of boiled new potatoes, is 312 calories for the meal.

We started by frying off the pork and sliced shallot, cooking the meat until it was lightly browned on each side.

At this point the meat was removed from the pan and put to one side to rest.

Adding the apple to the pan, it was cooked through for a few minutes until it began to soften.  Next, the garlic, maple syrup, vinegar and water (one and a half Tablespoons for the 'counted' version) was added was stirred through.

The contents were brought up to the boil and the pork was returned to the pan.  Spooning the sauce over the pork, the dish was cooked for a further five minutes, over a low heat, until heated through.

Finally the mustard was mixed through and the dish was ready to serve.

We cooked my, measured, meal in a small skillet and the remainder, for the rest of the family, in a frying pan to ensure portion size for me, the 'faster', was maintained as accurately as possible.

This is a tasty dish and one we'll make again.

Paprika Pork

We're always keen to make an easy and tasty evening meal and this very simple pork dish fits the bill.

With the ingredients of pork escalopes, paprika, garlic, butter and oil, it's is a meal that can be made in minutes.

The garlic was peeled, sliced and chopped.  It was then combined with the paprika in a glass dish.  The pork escalopes were added and covered in the rub.  (This can be done in advance and the pork left in the fridge until cooking is required).

Having melted a knob of butter in a frying pan together with a dash of sunflower oil, the the escalope was added and cooked over a medium heat.

Once cooked thoroughly, the pork was seasoned and served with chips and peas.

Delicious and quick - just the sort of food we like!