For the chicory:
6 chicory
110g butter
1 tbsp sugar
120ml cream
2 eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper
For the pork:
800 g pork fillet
12 slices smoked bacon
For the sauce:
30g butter
1 shallot, finely chopped
50ml port
400ml veal stock
100ml cream
1 tomato, deseeded and diced
10g parsley, chopped
Serves 4
Prepare the chicory: Separate the outer leaves of the chicory, aiming for about 32 leaves.
Heat 80g of butter in a pan and cook the leaves with a pinch of salt and the sugar until softened and lightly caramelised.
Slice the remaining chicory, remove the cores, and cut into thin strips.
In a second saucepan, melt 30 g butter and cook the sliced chicory with a pinch of salt until soft. Remove from the heat, add the cream, then mix in the eggs and a little pepper.
Line 4 holes of a muffin tin with the caramelised chicory leaves, letting them hang over the edges. Fill with the chicory mixture and fold the leaves over to form small parcels.
Preheat the oven to 140°C fan.
Place the muffin tin into a larger baking dish and pour in enough boiling water so it comes halfway up the sides.
Bake for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the pork. Season with salt and pepper, then cut the pork fillet into 12 pieces of 60g each.Wrap each piece with a slice of bacon and tie with kitchen string.
Heat oil with a knob of butter in a large pan and sear the meat on all sides until nicely browned. Transfer to a baking tray.
When the chicory parcels are done, increase the oven temperature to 180°C fan and bake the pork for 8 minutes, until cooked through.
Add the butter to the pan with the meat juices and fry the shallot with a pinch of salt.
Deglaze with port, then add the veal stock and reduce for 5 minutes. Add the cream and cook for another 3 minutes.
Just before serving, stir in the diced tomato and chopped parsley. Season with salt and pepper.
Remove the chicory parcels from the moulds and place in the centre of each plate.
Spoon the sauce around and serve with three pieces of pork per person.
