Pork with prunes in mustard sauce

While I was flicking through the channels on television a couple of weeks ago, I saw that one of the contestants on MasterChef had made Pork with prunes in a creamy mustard sauce and thought that it looked pretty tasty, and a change from our usual Italian cuisine.

We were also lucky enough to receive a “roasting plank” to review, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Pork chops slow-roasted on a oak plank – tender and smoked – what could be better!

The dish is extremely easy to make and extremely tasty. The rich, figgy prunes are a nice contrast to the more delicate flavour of the pork and the creaminess of the mustard sauce. And when you add cheesy mash and French beans, you have a delicious dinner on your hands.. or your plank..

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Ingredients:

• 4 pork chops
• Fresh thyme
• 1 bag of ready-to-eat prunes
• 150ml double cream
• Olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• Butter
• 200ml of dry white wine
• 2 tsp of Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon

For the cheesy mash:

• 5 large potatoes (I prefer Maris Pipers)
• 50g/2oz butter
• 125g/41/2oz mature cheddar cheese, grated

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 150 degrees
2. Peel and chop your potatoes, adding them to a saucepan of water and bring to the boil
3. Cut off any skin along the side of the chops and remove all but a small amount of the fat
4. Rub the flesh with olive oil. Shred the leaves from 2 bushy sprigs of thyme and scatter over both sides of the pork, then season
5. Heat a large frying pan until it’s really hot. Add the pork chops, press down and cook for about 1 minute on each side, searing the outside
6. Take your plank and pat down the surface – then rub more olive oil into the cooking surface, massage some of your thyme leaves into the oil, and place the seared pork chops onto the cooking surface
7. Place the plank in the oven for a good hour
8. Test the potatoes with a fork – if the tines easily pass through the flesh, they’re done. Drain the potatoes and mash them
9. When the potatoes have been mashed, take a large spoon and beat them with the butter (LOTS of butter) until you have a rich, creamy texture
10. Stir in the grated cheese, and then place the potatoes into a casserole dish, covering the mash with buttered foil and place in the oven at a very low temperature
11. Add a big knob of butter to the frying pan, then throw in 2 handfuls of prunes and the leaves from 1 more sprig of thyme. Stir for 30 seconds, then add 200ml wine and 2 tsp mustard. Bubble for about 4 minutes until reduced and sticky
12. Stir in the cream and season well, allowing the sauce to bubble for 1-2 minutes to thicken
13. Add the pork, spoon over the sauce, and warm through for a few seconds