Noisette de porc aux pruneaux

All over the world we find dishes that mix pork with fruits, it's a marriage made in heaven, but this one with prunes is one of my favourites.

Ingredients for 4 people

4 large pork chops

50 g butter plus a little slug of vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Finely copped parsley

200 g - 250 g dried prunes

Ingredients for the sauce:

1 stick of celery, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely sliced

1 carrot, chopped into very small dice

Butter for the sauté

1 bouquet garni (a few mixed herbs plus 1 whole clove tied up in the outer leaf of a leek)

A glass and a half of red wine plus a splash of red wine vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

About 20 g kneaded butter (beurre manié)

METHOD

Some prunes need to be soaked in water for a couple of hours before cooking whilst other types don't. So do check the packaging and follow the recommendations before proceeding with this dish.

Sauté the vegetables and bouquet in a generous amount of butter (20 g), adding salt and pepper as you cook. As soon as they are slightly browned all over, pour in the red wine and vinegar. Simmer for about 20 minutes. While you are doing this, stew the prunes in plain water for about 20 minutes, (again check the packers' recommendations because we want them to stay whole, not turn into a mushy mess). Drain and keep warm.

Add the butter and oil to a pan large enough for all 4 chops and when sizzling, sauté the chops well on both sides. Remove and keep warm.

Strain the sauce into the pan in which you've cooked the chops. Bubble up and stir to deglaze the pan. Strain once more into a saucepan and over a low heat and begin to add the kneaded butter a little at a time. When the sauce is smooth and thickened, add the drained prunes.

This dish must be plate served. Place one chop on each of 4 pre-heated plates and surround with prunes. Pour the sauce over and finish with a little chopped parsley. Offer a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes as the perfect accompaniment.

Recipe by Peter Bayless - Independent private chef and food writer