I had to ask my butcher to save me a pork fillet as they sell out like there’s no tomorrow. Possibly because the pigs are fed mostly on apples for the latter part of their life meaning the meat has an unrivalled flavour. So with marvellous meat and flavourful fillings I set about making my pork wellington. If anyone knows why it’s called wellington I’d be pleased to find out; let’s hope it’s not an unflattering term for the shape of the finished meal.
You will need (for four):
500g pork fillet
1 pack puff pastry
250g mushrooms
Knob of butter
A small glass of white wine
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper
First of all trim the pork to get rid of any fat or sinew and then melt a little butter in a pan on a medium/high heat. I cut our fillet into two pieces so it was easier to manage. Season the meat and then sear in the pan until brown on all sides and then remove and leave to rest. You will need to fry the pork for a little longer than you would the beef to make sure it is almost cooked through.
Blend the mushrooms until they have formed a paste, add the wine and some salt and pepper and then cook in the same pan as you cooked the pork in until all the moisture has gone. It will spread out over the pan and bubble up like something straight out of a witch’s cauldron but give it time and you will get a paste.
Unroll the pastry and cut into two pieces if you halved your pork or keep in one piece if not. Spread the mushroom paste onto the pastry leaving a gap at the edge and put the pork on top. Brush the edges of the pastry with beaten egg and then roll the pastry around the pork and tuck in the ends. I’m not very good at this sort of thing so thankfully the taste makes up for the appearance.
Brush the outside of the pastry with a little more beaten egg and then put a few slits in the top. Bake in a preheated oven at 200C for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown and the pork is cooked but still juicy.
I wanted something light to accompany the pork so I halved a few tomatoes, drizzled over a little olive oil, white wine vinegar, salt and pepper and then put them in the oven to roast with the pork. These with a little fresh salad worked wonders with the wellington.
It’s not a looker. It lacks the enticing undulations of a cauliflower cheese, the colours and textures of a roast dinner with gravy and certainly lacks the fragrance of a nutmeg rice pudding. Despite its lack of glamour it’s triumphantly flavourful. The pastry is crisp yet gooey where it meets the mushrooms. The mushrooms add a glorious meaty tone and the pork was cooked perfectly. Every flavour could be tasted; there wasn’t one that outshone the other. Not only is this delicious it’s a great excuse to enjoy something in summer that is normally reserved for the colder months. Not that you ever really need an excuse for pastry.
I always think of Gordon Ramsey and his Pork Wellingtons. =) What a comfort food indeed!
This looks so good! Never tried pork wellington. Only beef wellington, but that’s going to change. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve always been put off from cooking the beef wellington because of the beef filet cost. I do not like experimenting a new dish with a very expensive ingredient. Now you gave me the good idea of trying the recipe with pork tenderloin! It looks really good.
I am not big fan of pork, but this would be delicious, I can see that.. 🙂
Thanks for this, I’m allergic to beef and I hadn’t thought of this as an alternative. Definitely one for the menu 🙂
Love your alternative to beef my friend and looks just as if not more gorgeous 😀
Cheers
CCU
I’m also a big fan of the old comfort food. I’m so grateful for this recipe, I don’t eat beef yet get asked if I make wellington… Now i can actually follow a recipe, thank you
Sounds & looks lovely. As luck would have it I have a pork fillet in the freezer. I just need to dig deep & find it.
I LOVE beef wellington. I usually like to make my own flakey crust and find a good cut of meat but you are right… beef can be expensive! I never thought of using pork… thank you so much for the inspiration!
-Nico
I love beef wellington – and I love your adaptation with pork! I think I might even like it better this way =)
Wow. I have never attempted to make this. I do believe you: this must be ever so tasty!!! I love the way it has turned out.
omg, i think i have just about everything to make this! this sounds wonderfully delicious and comforting!
That looks and sounds like something I would like to try …
Hi there. The subject of this week’s Food on Friday on Carole’s Chatter is Pork. It would be great if you linked this in. This is the link . Cheers
beef wellington is so expensive I’ve never got the chance to make it, but this I might just try one day!
Great recipe – and twist on a classic. I love Beef Wellington and have even tried the dish with rabbit instead of beef. I’d like to make this dish in the months to come.
You say it’s not a looker, but that last photo is really nice! It’s perfectly browned and I have no doubt that it’s as flavorful as you say.
Looks don’t matter if it tastes great, and this sounds fabulous!
It looks great! Have never through of making pork wellington and I love the roast tomatoes with it! Yum!
What a great idea, perfect alternative to the trad beef wellie. A. 🙂
Thanks for linking this in to Food on Friday: Pork. I must give this a go. Cheers
This looks so good that my mouth is watering at 6:58am. Thanks for sharing your delicious food with us. I’m so excited to try this. Pork Tenderloin is one of my favorite things to cook on the grill.
Jeff