Pork with leeks and green peppercorns and P's Fruity cake

Still smiling from a couple of days last week...half term and a flying visit to my sister P and husband J in Chester. So good to catch up...wish we lived nearer for those long slow meals where you don't want to move away from the table but just keep talking.  Oh and swapping recipes....Here are of couple of good ones...

Pork with leeks and green peppercorns.

Ingredients:

• 650g leeks
• Butter or oil
• 500g pork tenderloin
• 500g mushrooms 
• 1 heaped tbsp flour
• 500 - 600 ml stock (hot)
• 2 bay leaves
• A large handful of chopped parsley
• 4 tsp green peppercorns and 140ml cream (both optional)

Method:

1. Heat up the oven, gas mark 3/160c/325f
2. Warm the butter or oil in a casserole dish, add the leeks, cover and cook slowly for ten to fifteen minutes until soft.
3. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the pork and colour.
5. Halve the mushrooms and fry, adding extra oil or butter if needed. Return the leeks and pork to the pan. Scatter flour over, stir and cook for a minute or so. 
6. Stir in the hot stock, bay leaves and bring to the boil then transfer to the oven for and hour or so.

Stir in the peppercorns, cream and chopped parsley if using. This is a delicious casserole...which I've just realised I don't have a picture for...it was dark when we ate...the one above is for amazing fish casserole that we had for lunch next day...must get that recipe too...

P's Fruity cake

Ingredients:

• 120 -12oz dried fruit - figs, prunes, apricots etc are nice...whatever you have
• 8fl oz pressed apple juice (or any fruit juice/water)
• Lemon or orange zest
• One chopped pear or nectarine
• One heaped tsp mixed spice 
• 6oz of butter or (rice oil/coconut butter/or alternative)
• 6oz mucovado sugar or agave/honey or mixture)
• 10oz wholemeal flour
• I heaped tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs, beaten
• A handful of nuts

Method:

1. Place all the ingredients except the last four into a saucepan, bring to the boil and then simmer for a while.
2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.
3. Add the eggs and mix well.
4. Sieve in the flour and baking powder.
5. Mix in the nuts.
6. Bake in a lined tin for about 1 1/4 hours or until cooked thoroughly. 

This is a lovely moist flavourful cake. I love that P has suggested lots of alternative to butter and sugar. I may try making this with spelt flour and let you know how I get on.

Besides lovely sourdough bread P baked us some lovely little milk rolls using one of my other sisters J's recipe. I'm hoping to have a go at those later and will share the recipe for them then...