Herb-crusted pork fillet with apple and mustard Puy lentils
Ingredients
- 300²µ/10Β½΄Η³ϊ pork fillet (tenderloin)
For the herb crust
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
For the lentils
- 50g/2oz butter
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 1 eating apple, peeled and finely chopped
- 100²µ/3Β½΄Η³ϊ Puy lentils, freshly cooked
- 150ml/5fl oz farmhouse cider
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
- 1 tbsp flatleaf parsley
- 25g/1oz butter
- 200g/7oz creamy, well-seasoned mashed potato, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 200C/390F/Gas 6.
To make the herb crust, mix together the herbs, garlic, olive oil and honey. Roll the pork fillet in the mixture to coat well.
Heat a pan until it's red-hot. Add the herb-crusted pork and sear for one minute on each side. Transfer to the oven and cook for a further ten minutes. Remove the pork and leave to rest for at least five minutes before serving.
In a clean pan, heat the butter until it foams. Add the onion and apple and cook them together for two minutes. Add the lentils and cider, and give them a few seconds of cooking time before you add the honey and mustard. Let the lentils warm for 2-3 minutes, then season and add the parsley. The idea is to leave enough 'cidery' liquid in the lentils to provide a sauce.
At the last minute, stir in the butter to thicken the sauce.
Carve the pork into 1cm (0.5in) thick chunks. Lay the pork slices onto the mash and spoon the lentils and liquor all around.
