Pork medallions with mushroom

Very pleased how this one came out.

Take a few dried Porcini mushrooms, crumple until about 1Tblspn then soak in a cup of boiling water  Cut six medallions, 4cm thick, out of a pork tenderloin. In a hot skillet sear each face in butter to colour. Place in a hot oven, 200C, for about ten minutes, reserve.
Meanwhile trim, removing the coarse stalks, of 1/2lb chestnut mushroom into thick slices together with a box of mixed wild mushrooms. Keep the trimmings add to the porcini then bring the trimmings to a simmer, adding the juices from the reserved medallions. In the same skillet add more butter and fry off at a medium heat all the mushroom slices until they lose water, colour slightly and become soft. Reserve.
Finely dice a large white onion and sweat off in the skillet with more butter if necessary, raise temperature drive of the liquid until the fat runs then strain the trimmings stock over the onions. Leave to simmer until the stock has fully reduced.
Make a thick white sauce, blending 1.5 Tblspn into 2oz butter then stir adding about 1/2pint of milk, keep stirring until the sauce is thick and smooth. Combine with the reserved onions and then add 2Tblspn of double cream and the last minute, final stir to fully combine.
In an oven proof dish just large enough to take the medallions with room to spare, sprinkle the base with two sprigs of finely chopped sage and a crushed garlic. Space the medallions the scoop the mushrooms into the spare spaces and push them into all the gaps.

Finally cover the mushrooms and medallions with the white sauce.

 

Place in a hot, 200C oven from about 20 minutes or until the top begins to colour.
Enjoy

pigeon breast

A compilation menu, came across a pack of six pigeon breasts that I just had to buy.

Marinated the pigeon breasts in Masala, garlic, crushed peppercorn and thyme for a few hours, turning from time to time. Lifted the breast out of the marinade and set aside. Put a generous handful of dried porcini mushroom slices into the marinade with 6 juniper berries and half a glass of red wine. Put it on a low heat, stirring from time to time.

In meantime sautéed par-boiled potato slices in the oven where I roasted oiled fresh baby beetroot wrapped in tinfoil.

Got a skillet really hot, in grapeseed oil flashed fried the pigeon breast, just 2-3 minutes each side. The Masala will cause them to go dark brown quickly. When judged sufficiently cooked removed and set aside to keep warm for another 5 minutes. Had some leftover seedless red grapes, so halved them and threw them into the residual oil with a splash of white wine, tossed them to drive off some of the wine. By this time the porcini mushrooms liquor had reduced to a thick sauce.

Time to plate.

Thickly sliced breast onto the porcini mushrooms (removing the juniper berries). A baby beetroot to one side, then a range of potato slices, a dab of grapes with their jus and some steamed cabbage slices. Wow what a balance of flavours and textures.