Basil and pecorino stuffed pork tenderloin
This is a very easy dish to make and looks extremely
impressive. It is good for a bulk cookout as you can get several tenderloins on
a barbecue grill, and each one yields about eight chunky slices. Serve with a chickpea
salad topped with finely chopped onions and parsley, and flavored with a really
mustard dressing.
Make a 1cm/ ½ in slit down the length of one of the
tenderloins. Continue to slice, cutting along the fold of the meat, until you
can open it out flat. Lay between two sheets of baking parchment and pound with
a rolling pin to an even thickness of about 1cm/1iin. Lift off the top sheet of
parchment and brush the meat with a little oil. Press half the basil leaves on
to the surface, then scatter over half the Pecorino cheese and chili flakes.
Add a little pepper.
Roll up lengthways to form a sausage and tie with kitchen
string (twine). Repeat with the second tenderloin. Put them in a shallow bowl
with the remaining oil, cover and put in a cool place until ready to cook.
Prepare the barbecue. Twenty minutes before you are ready to
cook, season the meat with salt. Wipe any excess oil off the meat. Once the
flames have died down, rake the hot coals to one side and insert a drip tray
flat beside them. Position a lightly oiled grill rack over the coals to heat.
When the coals are hot, or with a light coating of ash, put
the tenderloins on to the grill rack over the coals. Grill for 5 minutes over
the coals, turning to sear on all sides, then move them over the drip tray and
grill for 15 minutes more. Cover with a lid or tented heavy-duty foil, and turn
them over from time to time. When done, remove and wrap in foil. Leave to rest
for 10 minutes before slicing into rounds and serving.
Serves 6-8
2 pork tenderloins, each about 350g/12oz
45ml/ 3 tbsp olive oil
40g/ 1½ oz/ 1½ cups fresh basil leaves, chopped
50g/2oz Pecorino cheese, grated
2.5ml/ ½ tsp chili flakes
Salt and ground black pepper |
