Pork Wellington

1. Trim any silver membrane off the pork fillets, season with the BBQ spices and olive oil rubbing it all over. Sear the meat quickly in a pan over high heat until sealed all over and nicely browned. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.

2. Cook the apple slices briefly boiling in water until pliable, drain and dry.

3. Arrange the slices of ham close together on a clean cutting board, cover with a single layer of spinach leaves and a layer of apple slices. Dot half the marmalade in a line down the middle, place the pork fillets snugly on top of the marmalade and spread over the remaining marmalade. Roll the ham and filling ingredients over the fillets to form a neat roll.

4. Open out the roll of puff pastry on a clean work surface, then roll the dough slightly thinner. Brush the dough with beaten egg and wrap the dough tightly around the meat so that the ends overlap just enough to seal it. Trim off any excess dough, pinch the ends closed and place the roll with the seam side down on a greased baking tray. Brush all over with egg. Decorate with the leftover dough; also brush this with egg and place the pie in the fridge while the oven is preheating.

5. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Bake the pie for 45 minutes or until the dough is golden brown and the meat is cooked through. Rest for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Know your cut: Fillet

A fairly small, lean, very tender, boneless cut, pork is not often displayed at the meat counter and usually has to be ordered a day or two in advance. It’s often the most expensive pork cut per kilogram, but the convenience of it makes it so worthwhile. Ask the butchery staff to vacuum-pack the fillet(s) to ensure that they stay fresher for longer in the fridge before use.

Also be sure to ask the butchery staff to remove the thin silver membrane on the outside of the fillet with their razor-sharp knives. This will ensure that the fillet doesn’t curl up while being cooked.