Pork parcels with nut stuffing recipe

Meaty pork loins stuffed with an apricot and cream cheese and brazil nut stuffing, served with a fruity, cranberry gravy.

This dish is so easy to prepare but it looks fantastic when it's done, making it a great option for dinner parties or a special meal for two. It's also handy because you can prepare much of it in advance and pause the cooking in the middle if needed - see tip for details. For two people, just halve all of the amounts (or keep the leftovers for another evening). Brazil nuts and cranberries always have a festive feel to them. As such, this dish is particularly nice around Advent, or in the days between Christmas and New Year. It's also worth making extras of the nut stuffing as it's great with chicken, turkey, or other festive leftovers.

Ingredients

• 4 slices pork leg meat (escalopes) approx 400g
• 1tbsp olive oil
• 300ml chicken stock
• 100g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 3tbsp port
• Grated zest and juice of half an orange
• 2tsp corn flour

For the stuffing:

• 15g butter
• 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
• 50g Brazil nuts, finely chopped
• 40g wholemeal breadcrumbs
• 6 ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped
• 2tsp freshly chopped sage leaves
• 50g soft goat's cheese

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5.
2. Place the slices of pork, one by one, between cling film and beat out until evenly thin. Lightly season each one.
3. To make the stuffing, melt the butter in a small pan, add the spring onions and cook for 2 mins to soften. Turn into a bowl and when cool, add the chopped nuts, breadcrumbs, apricots and sage, season a little and toss together. Add the soft cheese and mix together until the cheese is evenly distributed.
4. Divide between the 4 escalopes, spreading it over two-thirds of each portion. Roll up from the end with the stuffing, then secure with a cocktail stick.
5. Heat a non-stick frying pan with the oil, add the parcels and fry over a medium high heat, turning until golden brown all over.
6. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, pour over the stock then cover with foil and bake for 25 mins.
7. Strain the cooking liquid into a pan, and keep the parcels warm in a low oven. Boil the stock to reduce by a third, then add the cranberries, port and orange zest. Simmer until the cranberries soften. Blend the corn flour with the orange juice, add to the sauce and simmer until thickened.
8. Remove the cocktail sticks from the parcels and cut each into 5 slices. Arrange on warm plates and spoon the cranberry gravy around. Serve with new potatoes and green vegetables.

Top tips for making pork parcels with nut stuffing

The pork parcels can be prepared in advance (stopping at step 4) and kept in the fridge overnight. You can also pause mid cooking: once the cooking liquid has been strained off the parcels in step 7, you can keep it in a jug and keep the parcels warm in a low oven for around 20 minutes, giving you time to deal with arriving guests, or topping up of drinks.

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