Woodall's Black Combe air-dried ham-wrapped pork fillet with calvados jus
Ingredients
for the pork
8 slices of Woodall’s Black Combe air-dried ham
500g pork tenderloin
2 tbsps fresh parsley, finely chopped
½ tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
½ tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
½ tbsp fresh rosemary, roughly chopped
2 tbsps olive oil
sea salt & black pepper
100ml chicken stock
100ml of good cloudy apple juice
for ultimate mash
1kg Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and chopped into evenly-sized pieces
90g clotted cream
100g unsalted butter
sea salt & white pepper
for the sauce
25g unsalted butter
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
2 Cox’s Orange Pippin apples, cored and cut into small wedges
80ml Calvados
30ml whipping cream
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
100ml chicken stock
Method
To cook the pork, on a board lay out the Black Combe air-dried ham, overlapping the edges a bit so that it is the same length as your piece of pork. Place the pork in the middle of the ham. Mix all the herbs together and rub all over the pork; don’t worry if some falls off. Pull up the sides of the ham to wrap the pork tightly.
Place a large lidded casserole pan that easily fits the pork over a medium heat and add the olive oil. When it’s hot, brown the pork on each side for a minute or so until the ham is golden. Be very careful when turning it over to avoid the ham slipping off the pork fillet. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, pour over the stock and apple juice and place the lid on top. Place in the oven for 20 minutes, removing the lid or foil for the last 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and pour off the juices into a bowl and reserve, cover the pork again and leave to rest while you prepare the mash and sauce.
To make ultimate mash, place the potatoes in a pan of cold water with a pinch of salt. Bring to the boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes until very tender. Whilst the potatoes are cooking heat up the cream and butter with a pinch of salt and pepper; when the butter has melted, stir in and remove from the heat. For the best results, when the potato is cooked pass through a ricer into a bowl. Mix the butter and cream mixture through and again season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the sauce, in a frying pan add the butter and gently fry the shallot and apple wedges for 2 minutes on a medium heat. Add the Calvados and cook for 1 minute then add the stock and reserved cooking juices. Reduce slightly for 3-4 minute, add the whipping cream, the vinegar and a good pinch of salt and cracked black pepper. If you want a thicker sauce you can thicken slightly with a small amount of the cornflour mixed with water.
To serve, slice the pork into 1cm thick slices and arrange on a large warmed serving plate with the ultimate mashed potatoes and the apple and Calvados sauce.