Piggy in a Twist

Maiale Rotolato con Miele, Funghi "Castagne", Romanesco e Sugo al Senapé & Miele
Pork Roll with Honey, Chestnut Mushrooms and Romanesco on Honey-Mustard Sauce

More of those little chestnut mushrooms and another of my favorite vegetables- the Romanesco cauliflower... it is just such a pretty little devil! At the moment I am walking a tight-rope walk between Summer and Fall recipes- on the one hand it is hard to let go and on the other it is tough accepting that colder weather is already here.

I prepared the mushrooms by frying them in a saucepan, with very little clarified butter and no salt until the end. I also squashed them flat to squeeze out any excess moisture.  I then seasoned with salt, pepper and a little Cajun pepper/chili mix.

The romanesco, I separated into individual  little "florets" and poached in boiling water with a slice of ginger and a hint of vanilla. It should be good after 5-6 minutes and can be drained and kept warm for later.

Basically, the pork was spread with mustard, sprinkled with cumin seed and the faintest hint of cinnamon and then rolled into a tight little parcel and tied together with kitchen twine.

I fried it in very little clarified butter, making sure to rotate it and get it nice and brown all around. I added garlic and rosemary to the pan along with a drizzle of both honey and olive oil at the end- this gave it a lovely sheen and a wonderful, full-bodied flavor.

Once the pork was done, I set it to one side and de-glazed my sticky frying pan with a splash of brandy. I then added a mild mustard and honey and stirred it into a smooth creamy paste, which I thinned down by adding milk- which appears to curdle at first, but fear not, continue stirring and you will find that it becomes smooth and shiny within a couple of minutes. Add plenty of chopped parsley, salt, pepper and a hint of lime and reduce down for a further 3-4 minutes until it is a nice consistency.

I served-up everything on a thin layer of the mustard sauce and enjoyed it with a glass of white Corvo-and gave myself a pat on the back for having whipped together yes another fun and elegant little dish- but the best thing about it was how quick and easy it was!