1 In a casserole dish, melt a little butter and oil, then brown your seasoned pork fillet on each side.
2 Add your shallot cut in half, the thyme and bay leaf, 2 tablespoons of cold water, salt and pepper, then cook covered for 15 minutes. Remove from heat while keeping your casserole dish covered (resting).
3 While your fillet was cooking, clean the apples, then cook them in water with salt, thyme and bay leaf. Then test them with the tip of the knife and peel them while hot without scratching the flesh if possible.
4 Your meat has been resting for about 20 minutes. Remove it and place it on a plate, then cover it with foil.
5 Now go back to your casserole dish, skim off the fat, then heat it (shallots included). Deglaze with the white wine and vinegar, reduce by half, strain through a fine sieve, then pour back into the casserole. Add the tarragon leaves, the cream and the veal stock, and simmer gently for 5 to 6 minutes.
6 In a frying pan, melt butter and olive oil. Cut your apples in half lengthwise, then place them rounded side down in your butter and salt them. When they start to colour, flip them and using a small knife, make slits in each one, inserting your rhubarb slices into them. Turn off the heat and cover.
7 Blend your tarragon sauce, strain it through a fine sieve, taste it, then add a few pieces of fresh butter and keep warm.
8 On your work surface, cut your pork fillet into 12 equal slices, then arrange them in a shallow dish. Pour a little tarragon sauce over them and heat gently.
9 Serve on a plate, arranging the apples and mignons harmoniously, then coat with hot sauce.
The way the tangy apple flavour combines with the rhubarb, plus its pairing with tarragon, gives this rather simple and inexpensive dish real class. Cider vinegar deglazes better than white wine alone : it cuts through the pork's richness and brings life to the sauce. Always add it before the wine, never after, or the acidity becomes harsh. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve twice to get a silky texture with no visible fat. It's the detail that makes all the difference.
No comments yet. Be the first to share your experience!
Help other cooks
Share a tip, your adaptation, your result. Every comment counts.