Herb Crusted Pork Fillet with Red Wine and Port Sauce, and Roasted Root Vegetables

Pork fillet (or tenderloin) is great — outstanding value and really tasty. If you can cook it just a little bit pink, it makes the meat just so much softer. For a variation, you can cut the tenderloin open lengthways, stuff it with something like blue cheese and sage or sun-dried tomatoes, pine nuts and taleggio, then tie back together and roast it.

Method

1. For the pork
2. Trim any fat and sinew from the pork fillet(s)
3. On large plate, mix together the two chopped herbs and some ground salt and pepper. Then roll the pork fillets in the herbs until you have a crust all over them, leave to one side or in the fridge until needed

1. For the sauce
2. Heat the oil in a saucepan on a medium heat, add the onion and cook until translucent. Add the sugar and vinegar and cook until totally reduced
3. Add the port and reduce by a third. Then add the red wine and reduce by half. Add the stock and bay leaf and reduce again by half. Strain and set aside
4. For the vegetables
5. Pre-heat the oven to 190°C. In a large roasting tin toss all the vegetables, garlic and herbs with the olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.
6. Roast in the hot oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning occasionally, until they are nicely coloured

1. To finish
2. For the meat; on a medium/hot heat on the stove, place a large frying pan or roasting tin big enough for the pork to fit in. Heat some olive oil
3. Seal the pork for about a minute on all sides, to give it a little colour, then put in the hot oven for about 15 minutes if you have 2 small fillets or 25 minutes if you have 1 large one. (I like the pork fillet to be a little bit pink inside, but if you prefer it to be well done, add 10 minutes) Take the meat out and leave to stand, loosely covered in foil for 10-15 minutes.
4. To serve, take 4 warmed dinner plates. Slice the pork up into 1/2 - 1cm slices and arrange between the plates, spoon the vegetables between the plates and pour some of the warmed sauce over the meat