Armchair Traveller

Passport & Plate - Cheer of pork (Joue de cochon)

South Africa | Thursday, March 13, 2014 | 5 photos

Ingredients
1 x Medium sized pork fillet (around 350 - 400g)
125 ml Creme Fraiche or Soured Cream
50 ml Sherry or Brandy
2 x Table Spoons butter
1/4 teaspoon Curry Masala Blend (mild to medium in strength)
A pinch of turmeric
1 x teaspoon sunflower oil

A handful of green beans (trimmed and halved)
Rice (Basmati or American Long Grain depending on preference)

Salt and Pepper for seasoning

Chutney to serve
How to prepare this recipe
Due to the limited ingredients for this recipe, it relies on the freshness and quality of the ingredients. Make sure to get the best possible ingredients.

Cook rice as per instructions (for American Long Grain rice I use 0.5 cup of rice with 1 and a quarter cups of salted water, bring to a rapid boil, turn the stove plate to low, put the lid on and leave until water is almost all absorbed. Turn the stove off and leave to stay warm)

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees centrigrade

Season the pork fillet with salt and pepper

Heat the sunflower oil in a non-stick pan until very hot.
Brown the pork fillet all over (about 7 or 8 minutes total in the pan), keep the pan to one side
Transfer to a baking dish and place in heated oven for 12 - 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fillet)

Start boiling or steaming beans

Take the fillet out of the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes
While the fillet is resting, put the pan over a medium high heat
Deglaze the pan by pouring in the Sherry or Brandy (stir it around as it bubbles)
Tip in the spices and stir around for a minute
Place butter in pan and stir, when butter is melted and bubbling remove from heat and add the Creme Fraiche or Sour cream and stir until all mixed (if the sauce is a little thick it can be thinned with a dash of full cream milk)

Place rice and beans on plate
Slice fillet into roundels and place on plate with sauce spooned over (extra sauce can be poured over the rice)
Serve with Chutney and a chilled glass of white wine (Sancerre if you have or a good Chenin Blanc)
The story behind this recipe
Henri pulled the cork from the bottle with a flourish, sniffed the cork and proclaimed “Ah, Sancerre - Doudeau Leger 2004, excellent choice!” His gaze rested on the contoured bottles in front of us and with a sigh, admonished us with “But after the Coca-Cola, please.”

We sat across the table from each other, hands clasped and looking into each other’s eyes. A final evening in the City of Light and the end of a holiday getting to know the city and each other. We were young and in love and conversation flicked between our experiences over the past couple of days and what still lay ahead. Only interrupted when another plate was placed in front of us.

“Joue de cochon aux épices douces” announced Henri as he placed the plates on the table. Our waiter’s recommendation had turned out to be a fancy curry and rice. Initial disappointment in our choice soon turned to joy as we discovered the rather elegant French twist to the Indian classic.

After dinner, drunk with love and perhaps some wine too, we walked down past the Moulin Rouge; just the two of us in a sea of people. Taking in the sounds of sirens, the pungent smell of Gauloises Gitanes and the feel of the city, those memories more pervasive than any of the museums or galleries visited.

These days, indifferent waiters have been replaced with a couple of kids and cosy Parisian restaurants with our dining room. I have learnt how to make “Joue de cochon aux épices douces” for us now and once the children are asleep and the glass of wine poured, each forkful takes us back to those carefree days where our futures stretched out before us. These moments also allow us to hold hands over the table, look into each other’s eyes and dream about what is still to come.

Our future didn’t turn out too differently to what we discussed that night in the restaurant and with everything we have experienced between now and then I guess Bogart was right, we will always have Paris.