Pork Florentine

There are many recipes around the world that combine pork and cheese and this one is an absolute winner. With the spinach all you need are some small steamed new potatoes for a complete meal.

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  Serves 2-3

Ingredients
1 large pork fillet (14 oz/400 g after trimming)
1 lb 8 oz (700 g) young leaf spinach
freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 oz (10 g) butter
2 tablespoons groundnut or other flavourless oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the sauce:
15 fl oz (425 ml) dry white wine
1 oz (25 g) butter
1/2 oz (10 g) plain flour
5 fl oz (150 ml) milk
11/2 oz (40 g) Cheshire cheese, grated
31/2 fl oz (100 ml) single cream
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
For the topping:
2 level tablespoons white breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan

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Equipment
You will also need an ovenproof dish, 6 x 10 x 11/2 inches (15 x 25.5 x 4 cm), buttered.

Method

First, cut the fillet into slices about 1/4 inch (5 mm) thick, then cut each slice into chip-like strips. Pre-heat the oven to a low setting and put the dish in to heat at the same time. Meanwhile, cook the spinach by putting it in a large saucepan with a lid on, then place it over a medium heat. Just let it collapse into its own juices, timing it for 2-3 minutes and turning it over halfway through.

Drain the spinach in a colander, pressing it with a saucer to extract every last bit of juice, then arrange it in the bottom of the dish. Season with salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg, then cover and keep warm in the oven. Next, heat the 1/2 oz (10g) of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a frying pan and fry the onion over a medium heat for 10 minutes or until softened and golden, then sprinkle this over the spinach. Now heat the rest of the oil and fry the pork strips over a fairly high heat until brown in three separate batches for 2 minutes on each side. Then use a draining spoon to transfer the pork to the dish, scattering it on top of the spinach and onion, cover and keep warm in the oven.

Next, pour the wine into the frying pan and let it bubble away over a highish heat while you scrape any meat sediments from the base and sides, then leave it to reduce to about 2 tablespoons. Meanwhile, to make the sauce heat the butter in a separate pan, stir in the flour and, over a medium heat and using a small pointed wooden spoon, stir quite vigorously to make a smooth, glossy paste. Now begin to add the milk and reduced wine a little at a time.

Then, when about half the milk and wine are in, switch to a balloon whisk and start adding larger amounts, whisking briskly. Now turn the heat down to its lowest setting and let the sauce cook for 2 minutes, whisking from time to time. Remove the dish from the oven and pre-heat the grill to its highest setting. Stir the cheese and cream into the sauce, taste and season and then pour it over the pork strips. Finally, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan, and brown briefly under a high grill until hot and bubbling, and serve at once.

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