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A rich and extravagant dish that takes time to prepare but is well worth gracing your Christmas table with.
© Giorgos Drakopoulos - Photo Assistant: Manolis Kapa
Food Styling: Tina Webb - Food Styling Assistant: Alexandra Tasounidou
Chef: Christophoros Peskias
Preparation & Cooking time: 150'
Serves: 6
This recipe is a gourmet adaptation of the classic pork and leek dish by Chef Christophoros Peskias. For a more refined rendition, the chef suggests using tenderloin, which he dresses with an aromatic mixture of onion, wine ands herbs. He purees the leeks, and completes the dish with the addition of prunes and sliced quince that have been cooked in wine. The dish is a little difficult to prepare, so a little organization is required; for example, the garnish can be made a few hours in advance, as can the puree, both of which can simply be heated before serving. If you like, you can also skip making one or two of the side dishes he recommends.
For the meat:
For the crust:
For the leek puree:
For the garnish:
Leek puree:
In a small pot boil the milk with the leeks for around 30 minutes, until they soften. Strain the leeks and squeeze them well with your hands in a colander to rid them of their juices. Mix the leeks in a blender with the butter at the highest speed for 5 minutes. Season and put the puree aside (covered with cling-film so that it doesn’t develop a crust).
Garnish:
In a pot heat the oil on a medium heat and sauté the quinces and prunes for around 8-10 minutes, until they start to color on both sides. Remove the prunes and add the wine, stock, garlic, and bay and half-cover the pot, lowering the heat and allowing it to simmer for around 20 minutes. Add the prunes again and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes. If there’s a lot of liquid left in the pot remove the lid during the last few minutes to allow them to evaporate. Remove from the heat, take out the garlic and bay leaves and season.
Crust and tenderloin:
In a small pot heat 30 ml of olive oil on a low heat and sauté the onion for around 4 minutes, until tender. Add the wine and cook for around 2 minutes, until the alcohol evaporates. Pour into the blender, adding the estragon, lemon juice, salt and pepper and blend well. Add the pistachios and blend gently, avoiding crushing the nuts too much. Put the mixture into a large bowl, add the breadcrumbs and mix well. The mixture should look like a thick paste – if necessary, add some more breadcrumbs to reach the right consistency. Turn on the grill in your oven. Season the meat with salt and pepper. In a frying pan heat 30 ml of oil on a high heat, add the meat and sauté for 5-6 minutes until it colors on all sides. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pack the crust mixture around the meat as well as you can. Place onto a baking tray and grill for 3-4 minutes until it browns. Slice the tenderloin with a sharp knife. Serve accompanied by the puree, prunes and quinces.
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