Porchetta style Pork Loin

This is all Nick's idea, not mine I'm afraid!!  But it looks too good to miss an opportunity in sharing.

I cannot tell you how good our home smells right now! 

I bought a pork loin in the reduced section of the local supermarket and Nick suggested cutting it flat and adding a layer of stuffing so that it cooks inside.

He is sat with me now to talk through the pictures.  By the way, I love living with a chef!!

Here is the stuffing made and ready to go. 
We used a supermarket brand but you could always make your own.

Place the stuffing between two sheets of clingflim (plastic wrap).

Use a rolling pin to roll the stuffing to the length of the meat.

Nick decided to be "chefy" here and measure the stuffing exactly to the meat.
You could always just press the stuffing to the meat instead of rolling it out, if you like.

The stuffing on the meat, ready to roll.

Carefully wrap the meat on to itself.

 

You want the crackling on the top.

Tie the meat using kitchen string.
Don't worry about the stuffing coming out. 
Nick pressed it to the meat before it went into the oven.

Nick used some carrots, onion, a couple of garlic cloves and some thyme to help make a stock for the gravy.

Ta dah!! AAAmazing!

Cook the meat at 230'Cfor 20 mins and then turn the owen down to 190'C and cook for approx 30-40 mins according to the size of the joint.  If you use a meat probe, the temperature should be 65'C when done.


I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to this dinner.

I know.  I am very VERY fortunate.

Summer Squash Pesto Bites - perfect for canapes

I am so pleased with this appetiser idea! 
(Summer squash look like - and are really - yellow courgettes.  They have a taste of pumpkin, though, and the seeds are scrummy!)

 

We had some cold meats to serve and these added another texture and flavour.  Please note - these were the first of our tomatoes to grow!! 4 sweet red baby plums :)
I posted a recipe for my homegrown arugula/rocket pesto in July.  I put it in the freezer, as promised, and I planned to enjoy it in the colder months but I had a brainwave for an appetiser idea.

Nick cut the summer squash with a mandolin for me.  If you don't have one, just try and cut the vegetable thinly and evenly.

Chargrill the pieces until they are just golden.  I love the lines created by the pan.  Don't grill them too much otherwise the seeds come loose and the squash becomes too floppy.

Let the squash pieces cool down.  Nick some cling film (plastic wrap) over the bowl while we went to water the garden, which could have made them too wet.  They turned out ok but next time I would let them dry a little.

Lay them out and use a teaspoon to spread some pesto on each one.

Roll them up and stand in a cluster to serve with your cold meats.

 

They are cool and nutty with the mixture of squash seeds and pine nuts.

My Mum LOVED these, which is a good compliment!