Pork works particularly well with fruit — for example, pork cutlets served with applesauce, apricot-stuffed roast pork, and sweet and sour pork with pineapple.
Prunes — dried plums — also go well with pork, as in today’s recipe for Mediterranean-style pork stew with vegetables and prunes.
According to the New Food Lover’s Companion, any plum can be made into a prune, but those with the greatest flavour, sweetness and firmness are best suited for that use.
Prunes have dense texture and a deep, raisiny, sweet wine-like flavour. When they’re added to a savoury dish, those qualities can make even humble creations such as stew become quite gourmet.
To make the stew, cubes of pork loin were coated in flour, seared in a skillet, then set in a casserole. In that skillet, I then made a saucy mixture with a mix of vegetables, stock and Mediterranean-style flavorings, such as wine, tomato, orange, oregano and balsamic vinegar.
I added pitted prunes to that mixture, then poured it over the pork. The pork was then covered and baked in the oven until pleasingly tender and wonderfully flavoured by the other ingredients.
You could serve the pork stew with orzo, rice pilaf, couscous or quinoa.
Mediterranean-style Pork Stew with Vegetables and Prunes
Tender, oven-stewed pork rich with vegetables and prunes, accented with Mediterranean-style tastes, such as balsamic vinegar, wine, garlic and oregano.
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 95 to 110 minutes
Makes: four servings
1 1/3 pounds (about 600 grams) boneless pork loin chops or roast, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes (see Eric’s options)
1/4 cup all purpose flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 to 2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp dried oregano
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup red wine (see Eric’s options)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp brown sugar
12 to 16 pitted prunes
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Place the flour in a bowl. Season the pork with salt and pepper, set in the bowl with the flour, and toss to coat. Preheat oven to 350 F. Set out a 13- x 9-inch casserole.
Place the oil in a large skillet set over medium, medium-high heat. When oil is hot, shake the excess flour of each piece of pork, and then sear the pork, in batches, until nicely browned. When all the pork has been browned, add the onion, bell pepper and carrot to the skillet and cook and stir four minutes. Mix in the garlic, oregano and tomato paste and cook and stir one minute more. Add the stock, juice, wine, vinegar and sugar to the skillet, mix to combine and bring to a simmer. Season mixture with salt and pepper, and then mix in the prunes.
Pour this mixture over the pork in the casserole. Cover with foil and bake in the oven 75 to 90 minutes, or until pork is tender. Serve the stew right from the casserole, or transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with parsley and enjoy.
Eric’s options: Cubes of boneless pork leg, or cubes of pork stewing meat, could replace the cubed pork loin in this recipe. If you can’t have wine or don’t wish to use it, replace it with 1/2 cup unsweetened grape juice, or another 1/2 cup of stock.
Festival Celebrates all things whisky
The Victoria Whisky Festival starts Thursday and wraps up on Sunday at Victoria’s Hotel Grand Pacific. It includes whisky-tasting events, whisky masterclasses and a whisky and chocolate (for women only) event, among others.
For more information about the festival and ticket packages, go to the festival’s website, . Tickets for the event are available at the Strath Liquor Store or via .
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
