Fried pork fillet with quince and wilted chard

Pork fillet paired with the earthy taste of chard and a quince sauce, as an alternative to apple.

Preparation method

1. For the pork fillet, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.

2. Season the pork fillet with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Heat an ovenproof frying pan until hot, add the oil then the pork fillet, and sear until golden-brown on all sides (about 30-45 seconds on each side).

4. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest for five minutes in the pan.

5. For the quince, heat the sugar, 40g/1½oz of the butter and the lemon juice with 500ml/18fl oz water in a non-reactive saucepan until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is well combined.

6. Add the quince and bring the mixture to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the quince has softened. Strain off the liquid, reserving a few tablespoonsful.

7. Transfer half of the quince to a food processor and blend to a smooth purée. Pass the purée through a fine sieve, loosening the strained mixture with a little of the reserved cooking liquid if necessary.

8. Put the quince purée in a clean saucepan. Season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cover with cling film until required.

9. For the rest of the quince, heat the remaining butter in a frying pan and, once hot, add the quince and fry for 1-2 minutes.

10. For the wilted chard, heat the butter in a large pan and once hot add the chard and cook until wilted.

11. To serve, slice the pork and divide between two serving plates. Add the purée, fried quince and wilted chard.