The Wheeling Gourmet by Nicolas Steenhout

Mise En Place

1. Press the oranges to get the juice.
2. Clean the pork fillet of layer of fat, and sinew.
3. Cut the head and tail of the fillet. These won't be used for the recipe. Freeze them for later use.
4. Cut each remaining fillet in three even pieces.
5. Place one of the pieces so it is "standing up" - the length of the muscle fibers standing up rather than horizontal (see photos).
6. With the flat of the blade of a chef's knife (or a meat hammer), tap the piece of meat to "smoosh" it down.
7. Repeat with the other pieces of filet. You'll end up with 6 pork medallions.
8. Peel and coarsely chop the ginger.
9. Reduce ( Boil down the liquid) [?] the balsamic vinegar until it is syrupy in texture (optional).

Preparation

1. Heat up a frying pan big enough for all medallions to fit in with "elbow room". Avoid a teflon pan for this.
2. When the pan is extremely hot, add the oil and the butter. The butter should start to foam almost immediately.
3. Season the medallions with salt and pepper.
4. Cook the medallions on each side until they are golden brown. This will not take long.
5. Remove the medallions from the pan. Cover them with some foil. You should have the caramelised juices of the meat on the pan.
6. Put the sugar in the pan, with the water. Place on high heat.
7. Cook until the sugar has caramelised to a dark blond, light brown colour. It may be hard to tell because of the meat's caramelised juices. Refer to the photos if needed.
8. Deglaze ( Pour a liquid in a pan and rub the bottom of the pan with a spoon.) [?] the pan with the orange juice.
9. Add the chopped ginger.
10. Reduce the orange juice until it is syrupy in texture.
11. Strain the reduction through a fine sieve.

Finition

1. Reheat the balsamic reduction and the orange/ginger sauce.
2. Make sure the pork medallions are hot.
3. Plate the medallions.
4. Pour a bit of sauce over the meat and on the plate.
5. If you are using the balsamic reduction, drip some of it on the plate to contrast with the sauce.
6. I served this with roasted potato wedges and asparagus, but you could use rice or mashed potatoes, brocolli or courgettes (zucchini).