Three Little Pigs: Roast Pork Loin in Local Proscuitto with Ham Hock Stew

by Leah Halmagyi

Ingredients

  • 1 ham hock
  • 2L chicken stock
  • 1 brown onion, finely diced
  • 1 carrot, finely diced
  • 1 stick celery, finely diced
  • 1 leek, finely diced
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 100g unsalted butter
  • ½ cup small green lentils
  • sea salt flakes and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch parsley, very finely chopped
  • 1 tsp tarragon vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp plain flour
  • 2 x 350g pork loins
  • ½ bunch sage leaves
  • 12 thin slices prosciutto
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

1 Place the ham hock, stock and 1L water in a medium saucepan and set over a moderate heat. Simmer with the lid on for 2 hours, until the meat is very tender. Shred the meat and discard the bones. Strain the stock through a fine sieve.
2 Sauté the onion, carrot, celery, leek and garlic in 75g butter in a large heavy-based saucepan for 5 minutes, until softened. Add the lentils and reserved stock, then simmer for 30 minutes. Mix the remaining butter and flour, whisk in and simmer to thicken. Season with pepper. Mix in the ham, parsley and vinegar.
3 Season the pork loins with salt and pepper, then place sage leaves on top. Arrange the prosciutto in sets of six overlapping slices then wrap one around each pork loin and secure with kitchen string.
4 Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan set over a moderate heat and cook the pork loins for 25-30 minutes, turning several times, until browned. Carve, then serve with the ham hock stew.