Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 100g barley, rinsed
- 650ml chicken or vegetable stock
- 15 ready-to-eat pitted prunes
- 100ml white wine
- 400g pork fillet, cut into 2cm thick slices
- 200g kale or greens, thickly shredded
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons crème fraîche
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Pork fillet with prunes, mustard and barley
This is a delicious variation of the classic combination of pork with prunes and mustard sauce, with the barley and greens cutting the richness.
Method
Heat half the oil in a pan. Fry the onion for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for a further minute before adding the rinsed and drained barley.
Stir for a minute, then add the boiling hot stock and bring to the boil. Put a tight-fitting lid on and gently boil for 30–35 minutes until the barley is tender, but with a slight bite. Remove the lid for the final 3–5 minutes to let any remaining liquid evaporate.
Meanwhile, soak the prunes in the wine for 30 minutes. Bash the pork slices to flatten them slightly, then season with a little pepper and salt. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan and, over a high heat, brown the pork on both sides. Remove to a dish.
Add the kale or greens and fry, adding a splash of water to steam-fry them. After a couple of minutes add the prunes and wine. Reduce for 30 seconds or so, then stir in the mustard and crème fraîche and add the pork back to the pan.
Taste for seasoning, then spoon the pork and prunes onto plates. Add the cooked barley to the sauce and stir together. Serve with the pork.
Amazing Grains by Ghillie James. Published by Kyle Books, priced $39.95. Photography: Jonathan Gregson.
Submitted byGhillie James
Tips and Tricks
Barley comes in a variety of forms – whole, half-polished, fully polished and so on – and you can use any type for this recipe; just be aware that the semi- or unpolished types will take longer to cook, so extra liquid will be needed.
Pork can be frozen for up to 6 months – use a freezer bag or airtight container and thaw in the fridge for 24-48 hours before cooking.
Try using leftover kale raw in a smoothie, or sauteed with eggs for breakfast to boost nutrition and kick start your day.
