Roast loin of pork with raisin and walnut seasoning

Ingredients (serves 8)

• 2.5kg boned loin of pork, rind scored
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 small red apples
• 2 1/2 tbs plain flour
• 2 cups (500ml) beef stock
• 100g cabernet or quince paste

• Raisin and walnut seasoning

• 1/3 cup (65g) raisins
• 1/2 cup (125ml) dry red wine
• 30g butter
• 1 tbs olive oil
• 2 medium leeks, pale section only, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 50g pancetta, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped sage
• 1/3 cup (45g) chopped walnuts
• 2 tsp finely grated lemon rind
• 2 1/2 cups (175g) fresh breadcrumbs (made with day-old bread)
• 1 egg, lightly whisked

Method

1. To make the raisin and walnut seasoning, place the raisins in a small bowl and pour over wine. Set aside for 4 hours or overnight to soak. Drain well, reserving the wine and setting aside for the gravy.
2. Heat the butter and oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Add the leek and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and pancetta and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until pancetta browns. Transfer to a medium bowl, add the raisins, sage, walnuts, lemon rind, breadcrumbs and egg, and stir to combine. Set aside to cool.
3. Preheat oven to 220°C. Place the pork, skin-side down, on a clean work surface and use a sharp knife to cut a vertical slit through the thickest part without cutting all the way through. Open out pork to form one large piece. Place stuffing down the centre of the pork. Starting at the thick end, roll up pork firmly to enclose filling. Secure with kitchen string at 2cm intervals. Place pork in a roasting pan. Rub pork skin with oil and salt. Roast, uncovered, for 25 minutes or until rind begins to crackle. Reduce oven temperature to 180°C and roast for a further 1 hour.
4. Use a small, sharp knife to pierce the bottom of each apple a few times. Arrange apples around the pork. Roast for a further 30-35 minutes or until apples and pork are cooked through.
5. Transfer to a tray and cover with foil to keep warm while making gravy. Discard all but 2 tbs of fat from the roasting pan and place over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until mixture begins to bubble. Gradually add reserved wine and stock and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes or until gravy boils and thickens. Add cabernet or quince paste and stir until it melts. Strain into a jug. Serve slices of pork with roast apples, celeriac puree and watercress salad .

Roast pork fillet with mascarpone sauce

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 1 rosemary sprig, plus extra to serve
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil
• 2 large pork fillets (about 450g each), halved, thin end trimmed off
• 20g unsalted butter
• 2 red apples, cored, cut into wedges
• 150ml dry white wine
• 100g mascarpone
• Blanched thin green beans and fried diced potatoes, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
2. Roughly chop the rosemary sprig and place in a bowl with the garlic and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the pork fillets and rub the mixture well into the meat. Set aside for 10 minutes.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of the remaining olive oil and the butter in a large ovenproof frypan over medium heat.
4. Add the apple wedges and cook for 1-2 minutes or until golden on both sides. Remove and set aside.
5. Increase heat to high, then add the remaining oil. When hot, cook the pork fillets, turning to brown well on all sides. Return the apples wedges to the pan and transfer pan to the oven, then cook for about 15 minutes or until the pork is cooked through but still moist.
6. Remove the pork fillets and apples wedges from the pan and set aside. Place the pan over medium heat. Add the dry white wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Add the mascarpone and cook, stirring, for a further minute.
7. To serve, place some of the blanched green beans on a plate and top with a few apple wedges. Slice the pork fillets and place on top. Drizzle with the mascarpone sauce and garnish with a small extra rosemary sprig.