Pippa Kendrick's Gluten free
PESTO FILLED PORK TENDERLOIN
Serves 4
2 x 400g pork tenderloin fillets
12 slices parma ham
For the pesto
100g/4oz pine nuts
100g/4oz sunblush tomatoes – available in all supermarket delis
A large bunch of basil
6 stems of fresh thyme
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 190c (170c Fan) and lightly drizzle a baking sheet with a little olive oil. Begin by making your pesto: scatter the pine nuts over a baking tray and bake in the oven until lightly toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down. Roughly chop the sunblush tomatoes, place them with the leaves from the basil and thyme, pine nuts and a good pinch of salt into a pestle and mortar. Pour over the olive oil and pound the ingredients until you have a balance of creamy and coarse pesto – you may, depending on the size of your pestle and mortar, have to do this in two batches. Season the pesto to taste and then cover and chill in the fridge while you prepare the tenderloins.
Place the pork tenderloins on a chopping board and, using a small sharp knife, trim any excess fat from around the meat. Next, place the point of your knife in the centre of the tenderloin and slice along its length, cutting about 1cm deep, but not all the way through, so that you can carefully fold out the meat and fill the centre of it. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
Carefully spoon in the pesto into the length of hollow created along each tenderloin. Spread the pesto along its length so that it is evenly distributed and then roll or fold the tenderloin back together so that the pesto is sandwiched in the centre of the meat.
Lay out 6 slices of the parma ham horizontally on your chopping board, ensuring each edge overlaps slightly, and then carefully lay one of the tenderloins on top. Wrap the parma ham round the tenderloin, tucking in the edges so that it forms a tight package. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
Place the meat on the baking tray drizzled with olive oil, cover with tin foil and then cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the tin foil and return the tenderloin to the oven for a further 15 - 20 minutes or until the ham is crisp and the pork cooked through and tender. Re-cover the meat with the tin foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.
Serves 4
2 x 400g pork tenderloin fillets
12 slices parma ham
For the pesto
100g/4oz pine nuts
100g/4oz sunblush tomatoes – available in all supermarket delis
A large bunch of basil
6 stems of fresh thyme
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Preheat the oven to 190c (170c Fan) and lightly drizzle a baking sheet with a little olive oil. Begin by making your pesto: scatter the pine nuts over a baking tray and bake in the oven until lightly toasted and golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool down. Roughly chop the sunblush tomatoes, place them with the leaves from the basil and thyme, pine nuts and a good pinch of salt into a pestle and mortar. Pour over the olive oil and pound the ingredients until you have a balance of creamy and coarse pesto – you may, depending on the size of your pestle and mortar, have to do this in two batches. Season the pesto to taste and then cover and chill in the fridge while you prepare the tenderloins.
Place the pork tenderloins on a chopping board and, using a small sharp knife, trim any excess fat from around the meat. Next, place the point of your knife in the centre of the tenderloin and slice along its length, cutting about 1cm deep, but not all the way through, so that you can carefully fold out the meat and fill the centre of it. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
Carefully spoon in the pesto into the length of hollow created along each tenderloin. Spread the pesto along its length so that it is evenly distributed and then roll or fold the tenderloin back together so that the pesto is sandwiched in the centre of the meat.
Lay out 6 slices of the parma ham horizontally on your chopping board, ensuring each edge overlaps slightly, and then carefully lay one of the tenderloins on top. Wrap the parma ham round the tenderloin, tucking in the edges so that it forms a tight package. Repeat with the second tenderloin.
Place the meat on the baking tray drizzled with olive oil, cover with tin foil and then cook in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove the tin foil and return the tenderloin to the oven for a further 15 - 20 minutes or until the ham is crisp and the pork cooked through and tender. Re-cover the meat with the tin foil and leave to rest for 10 minutes before cutting into slices and serving.