Italian style pork fillet
on a bed of Helda beans with Parmesan potato slices.

Initially devised to use up a few left over scraps of pork fillet this recipe grew somewhat.

  • Serves 4
  • 1 pork fillet, cut diagonally into slices and flattened
  • Pesto
  • Olive Oil
  • ½ Onion cut into vertical slices
  • 1 clove of garlic finely chopped or crushed
  • ½ Red pepper cut into vertical slices
  • ½ Green pepper cut into vertical slices
  • Tin of chopped tomatoes, drained or 2 large tomatoes de-skinned, with the seeds removed and cut into 8.
  • 1 pack Helda beans (usually around 250gm) cut into 1" pieces.
  • 5 medium sized Charlotte potatoes cooked, allowed to cool and cut horizontally into 4 slices.
  • Fresh Parmesan
  • Pine nuts
  • Fresh Basil
  1. Lightly brown the pinenuts in a frying pan and reserve for the garnish.
  2. Thinly spread pesto over each slice of meat, roll up and pin with a cocktail stick. Gently fry in oil until lightly browned all over and keep warm.
  3. Gently fry the onion in the same oil until transparent, add the garlic and cook through for a minute or so, add the peppers and fry for a further minute or so, add the tomatoes and cook for 5 - 10 minutes 'til it reaches a coarse sauce-like consistency.
  4. Meanwhile spread the potato slices on a baking tray and sprinkle each one generously with grated Parmesan. Season with a little paprika or black pepper. Cook in a hot oven (200C) 'til the cheese melts and takes on a little colour (approx 10 minutes).
  5. Steam or boil the beans 'til just cooked; they are better with a slightly crunchy texture.
  6. Make a flattened pile of beans in the middle of each plate. Remove the skewers from the fillet rolls and arrange them on top of the beans, spoon some sauce over them.
  7. Arrange potato slices around the edge of the plate, scatter pinenuts between them and garnish the stack with torn basil leaves and any stray bits of baked parmesan that might be left on the baking tray.

One could use slices of courgette, either steamed or fried in butter, rather than the Helda beans, but I like the texture of the beans better.