Braised Pork Fillets With Prunes And Cream Sauce Recipes

BRAISED PORK WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a flame-proof casserole pan and cook the pork, turning occasionally, until it is golden brown all over, about 10 mins. You need plenty of space in the pan, so cook in 2 batches if the meat starts to steam. Remove from the pan to a plate. Tip out any burnt bits, then add the butter and cook the onion for 3-5 mins until softened.
• Stir in the flour, then return the pork and juices to the pan. Pour over the wine and enough stock to cover the meat. Bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer, put the lid on and cook for 45 mins, stirring occasionally. Tip in the prunes, top up with stock or water if the meat isn't covered, and cook 45 mins more, uncovered, until really tender. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

PAN-FRIED PORK WITH CRèME FRAîCHE & PRUNES

Steps:

• Dust the pork with a little of the seasoned flour. Heat the butter in a large non-stick frying pan, then cook the pork in batches for about 3 mins on each side. Remove from the pan, then add the prunes, brandy, wine, mustard and redcurrant jelly and simmer to reduce the mixture by half.
• Stir in the crème fraîche to make a creamy sauce, season well, then return the pork to the pan to heat through. Serve with tagliatelle and broccoli or a green salad.

BRAISED PORK FILLETS WITH PRUNES AND CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Simmer the prunes in the wine over moderate heat, covered, until plump and tender, about 10 minutes. Strain and reserve the red wine.
• Bone and tie the pork fillets. Saute the fillets in the oil until they are a rich golden brown on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer fillets to a plate. Add the mirepoix and the bones to the pan and saute to brown lightly, 8 to 10 minutes. (Additional oil may have to be added to keep the mirepoix from burning.)
• Add the wine from the prunes and deglaze the pan. Place the pork fillets on top of the mirepoix (the liquid should come part way up the pork chops), cover, and simmer gently over very low heat or until the fillets are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Place the fillets in an oven pre-heated to 325 and immediately turn off the heat. The meat should be cooked within 10 and 15 minutes. Take care not to overcook the pork. Use tongs to transfer the meat to a heated platter and remove the strings. Arrange three prunes on each fillet, then cover the fillets with foil.
• Pour the rest of the contents of the pan through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all the juices. Return the juices to the pan and reduce by half rapidly, stirring and scraping any brown bits that cling to the pan. Add the cream and continue to boil down rapidly until the color becomes a light beige and the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Whisk in the jelly and continue to cook, whisking, until the jelly is dissolved. Taste and correct seasoning of the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the fillets, sprinkle with minced parsley, and serve.

CIDER-BRAISED PORK WITH CREAM AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Begin by seasoning the pork chops with salt and pepper, then heat the butter and oil in the frying pan till foaming and sizzling, and brown the chops for a couple of minutes on both sides so they are a nice golden colour. Then, using a draining spoon, remove them to a plate and keep on one side. Now add the onion, garlic and mushrooms to the juices left in the pan and cook these together for about 5 minutes, then move them over to one side of the pan and return the chops. Sprinkle them with the herbs, then spoon the mushroom and onion mixture over the top. You can also watch how to prepare onions and garlic in our Cookery School Videos on this page. Pour in the cider, then turn the heat down to the lowest possible simmer. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes. After that, remove the chops, mushrooms and onions to a plate and keep warm in a low oven. Then turn the heat up under the pan and simmer the sauce briskly (with the lid off) for 8 minutes. Now stir in the cream, let it bubble and reduce very slightly, and taste to check the seasoning. Then serve the chops with the sauce poured over.

BRAISED PORK LOIN WITH PRUNES

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 5-quart pot over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and golden, about 20 minutes. Transfer onions to a bowl and reserve pot.
• Simmer prunes and Armagnac in a 1- to 2-quart saucepan 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Make a hole for stuffing: Insert a long thin sharp knife into middle of one end toward center of loin, then repeat at opposite end to make an incision that runs lengthwise through roast. Enlarge incision with your fingers, working from both ends, to create a 3/4-inch-wide opening.
• Pack about 20 prunes into pork, pushing from both ends toward center (reserve remaining Armagnac and prunes). Pat pork dry and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F.
• Wrap parsley, thyme, sage, bay leaf, peppercorns, and cloves in cheesecloth and tie into a bundle with kitchen string.
• Brush pork with mustard, then evenly coat with brown sugar. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in reserved pot over high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown meat on all sides (not ends), reducing heat if necessary to keep from burning, about 6 minutes total.
• Transfer pork with tongs to a plate, then add white wine and reserved Armagnac (but not prunes) to pot. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat.
• Add broth, onions, and cheesecloth bundle to pot with Armagnac mixture, then add pork with any juices accumulated on plate and turn pork fat side up. Bring to a boil over high heat, covered, then transfer to oven and braise 30 minutes.
• Add remaining prunes and braise until thermometer inserted diagonally 2 inches into meat (avoid stuffing) registers 150°F, about 15 minutes.
• Transfer pork to a cutting board and cut off and discard string, then cover with heavy-duty foil (temperature of pork will rise as it stands).
• While pork stands, skim fat from surface of sauce (if necessary) and remove and discard cheesecloth bundle, then stir in vinegar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste.