Saltimbocca with borlotti beans
Donal’s taken the flavourful Italian classic of saltimbocca and given it a makeover by serving with a delicious buttery borlotti and green bean stew.
Ingredients
- 500g/1lb 2oz pork fillet, cut into 1cm/½in medallions
- 8 sage leaves
- 8 prosciutto slices
- 100g/3½oz plain flour
- 1–2 tbsp olive oil
- 50g/1¾oz butter
- 150g/5½oz green beans
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- few sprigs fresh thyme
- 150ml/5fl oz white wine
- 2 x 400g tins borlotti beans
- 100g/3½oz baby spinach
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- extra virgin olive oil, to serve
- 1 tbsp finely chopped flat leaf parsley, to serve
Method
Place the pork medallions between two slices of baking paper, set on a chopping board, and gently bash with a meat hammer or rolling pin until approximately 5mm/¼in in thickness.
Top each slice with a sage leaf, season with salt and black pepper and wrap with a slice of prosciutto.
Place the flour in a wide dish and dredge each slice until completely coated, patting off any excess.
Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat and add the olive oil and 25g/1oz of the butter. Cook the pork in batches, using extra oil as needed and making sure not to overcrowd the pan, for 2 minutes on each side or until the pork has cooked through and the prosciutto becomes crispy. Set aside and keep warm.
Add the remaining butter to the pan, along with the green beans, garlic and thyme. Stir to coat everything in the butter and pan juices, then add the remaining sage leaves and the white wine and simmer for a few minutes.
Drain one of the tins of borlotti beans and add to the pan with the undrained beans and the spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt.
Add the pork back to the pan, along with any resting juices, and put a lid on for a few minutes to allow everything to heat through.
Serve everything in bowls, seasoned with salt and pepper, a good glug of extra virgin olive oil and the chopped parsley.
