APRICOTS AND CREAM RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Soak apricots in warm water for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a bowl, cream the sugar, butter and egg. Stir in orange juice. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture just until combined. Drain apricots well; add to batter with nuts. Pour into a greased 9x5-in. loaf pan. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes or until bread tests done. Cool 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack.

Steps:

• To make the stuffing, melt the butter with the oil in a large non-stick frying pan and gently fry the shallot and garlic for five minutes, stirring regularly until softened, but not coloured. Peel the apple and cut into quarters. Remove the core and roughly chop the flesh.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the apple, apricots, sultanas, stem ginger, breadcrumbs, ground ginger, lemon zest and juice and the herbs. Season with salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix well together. Add the measured stem ginger syrup and mix again until the stuffing comes together. Leave to cool.
• Put the pork tenderloins on a board and, using a sharp knife, carefully trim off as much excess fat and sinew as possible. Place one of the tenderloins between two sheets of cling film and bash with a rolling pin until around 1cm/½in thick. Put to one side and repeat the same process with the other tenderloin.
• Place a large clean sheet of cling film on the board and arrange the bacon in slightly overlapping lengths on top; making a bacon rectangle roughly 32x28cm/13x11in. (A little longer and just over three times as wide as the flattened pork.) If some of the rashers are a little short, stretch with the back of a knife.
• Place one of the tenderloins in the centre of the bacon and spread the stuffing on top. Cover with the other tenderloin to sandwich the stuffing. Bring the bacon up over the top of the pork to enclose it completely, using the cling film to help you. Wrap tightly in more cling film to help hold the shape. Place the pork parcel on its side on a small tray and chill in the fridge for one hour. (At this stage, the pork can be kept overnight in the fridge if preparing ahead.)
• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C (fan)/Gas 6. Unwrap the pork and place on a lightly greased baking tray, with the ends of the bacon underneath. Roast in the oven for about 50 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp and the pork is piping hot throughout.
• Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the pork to a board or warmed serving platter. Cover with foil and leave to rest. (If serving the meat cold, simply allow to cool and then wrap in foil and keep in the fridge.)
• Put the baking tray on the hob and add 200ml/7fl oz water. Bring to a simmer over a medium heat and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly and lifting the sticky juices from the bottom of the tin. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Add any juices that have collected beneath the pork. Pour the ginger wine and cream into the same saucepan and bring the sauce to a simmer, stirring
• Mix the cornflour with the one teaspoon of cold water in a small bowl until smooth. Pour into the sauce and bubble for about a couple of minutes until thickened, stirring. Remove from the heat and add salt and pepper to taste. (You can even add a dash more ginger wine if the sauce needs it.)
• Carve the pork into slices and divide between six warmed dinner plates. Spoon a little of the ginger sauce over each serving of pork. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes and some freshly cooked green vegetables.