Recipes

Roast pork tenderloin with blackberry port sauce

For a small Christmas gathering or special Sunday lunch, try this great alternative.

Serves 4

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1¼ hours

2 pork tenderloins, just under 400 g (14 oz) each

1 slice of bread, crusts removed

1 small onion, quartered

2 cloves garlic, sliced, optional

4 cm (1½ inch) piece root ginger, peeled, sliced

40 g (1½ oz) walnut pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

225 g (8 oz) blackberries

8 rashers smoked streaky bacon

5 small bay leaves

1 tablespoon olive oil

450 ml (¾ pint) chicken stock

150 ml (¼ pint) ruby port

2 teaspoons cornflour

1)    Trim the thinnest end of each pork tenderloin so each is 23 cm (9 inches) long, and reserve the trimmings. Make a slit along the length of each and open out flat. 

2)    Add the pork trimmings to a food processor bowl with the bread torn into pieces, the onion, garlic and ginger and mix until finely chopped. Add the walnuts and a little salt and pepper and mix briefly together.  

3)    Spread half the stuffing over one of the pork tenderloins. Arrange a few of the blackberries in a line down the centre then spoon over the rest of the stuffing and press into an even layer. Cover with the second pork tenderloin, wrap in the bacon, tuck the bay leaves under the bacon in a line along the top then tie with string.

4)    Add the joint to a roasting tin, drizzle the top with the oil and pour 300ml (½ pint) of stock into the base of the tin. Roast in a preheated oven 180ºC (160ºC fan oven), Gas Mark 4 for 1¼ hours until the pork is cooked through and the bacon is browned. Cover with foil towards the end of cooking if the bacon is browning too quickly. Transfer to a serving plate and keep warm. 

5)    Add the remaining stock and port to the roasting tin, bring to the boil, scraping up the juices from the base of the tin, boil for a minute or two then strain if needed and return to the roasting tin. Mix the cornflour to a paste with a little water then add to the roasting tin with the remaining blackberries, cook, stirring until the sauce is thickened. Season to taste then pour into a sauce boat.

6)    Snip the string off the pork and remove, carve into thick slices and spoon the sauce around. Serve with roast potatoes, brussel sprouts and green beans.

Tip

The smoked bacon will give the pork a slightly pinkish tinge, to check that the pork is cooked thoroughly insert a knife into the centre of the joint, the meat juices will run clear when ready.