Noisettes de porc

When I was living in Manchester, once we were actually earning some money, we would occasionally go out for a nice meal – one of our favourite places was a french restaurant, and as we often used to go to France, we did actually know what french food was ‘supposed’ to taste like. We would treat ourselves to a decent bottle of wine – not mega-expensive, but not the house wine either.  We had some magnificent meals there, but my favourite was a cutlet of pork served in a brandy and cream sauce… it was divine… I have never tasted a pork dish as good – and actually have never seen the exact  dish on a menu.

We are going out tonight to celebrate our wedding anniversary and we’re going to a French restaurant we haven’t been to before; they have ‘medaillons de porc’ with a honey mustard glaze – which doesn’t sound the same at all… but it sounds very good all the same and maybe I’ll choose that.

This is a recipe for ‘noisettes de porc aux pruneax’ – which again isn’t the same as there definitely were no prunes in the meal I used to so enjoy. It still sounds pretty tasty though:

Noisettes de porc aux pruneax

• 2 dozen prunes, soaked for at least 4 hours in the wine, then cooked over moderate heat for 10, drained, wine set aside
• ½ pint dry white wine
• 6 noisettes  of pork (fully trimmed, 1½ inch thick)
• salt, black pepper, flour
• 1 oz butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp butter
• 6 tbsp good chicken stock
• 6 tbsp cream
• 1 ½ tsp red currant jelly
• squeeze of lemon juice

1. finely dust noisettes with flour and seasoning
2. heat butter and oil and fry noisettes in a heavy pan for about 3 mins on each side, and set aside
3. pour off fat and oil, leaving a fine coating and add the wine and cook briskly until it has reduced
4. add chicken stock and bring to the boil and add noisettes
5. cook for 30-40 mins until tender
6. set aside and keep warm
7. skim off all fat, and add cream
8. bring to boil until thick
9. stir in prunes, jelly and lemon juice
10. arrange prunes round noisettes and cover with sauce
11. serve AT ONCE!