Pork Loin & Black Pudding Wellington with Cabbage & Bacon | Emily Watkins

1. Begin by preparing the sage and onion purée. Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and sweat for 5-10 minutes. Reduce the heat, place a lid on the pan and cook for 4-5 hours until soft, tender and very sweet.Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 100°C / gas mark 1/4.
2. To prepare the crackling, cut the skin into 1cm wide strips, season with flaky sea salt and place in the oven for 4 hours. After 4 hours, raise the oven temperature to 220°C / gas mark 8 and bake for 6-8 minutes until golden and crispy.
3. 1 hour before the onions are ready, add the cream and sage bunch to a small saucepan, bring to the boil, then remove from the heat and allow to infuse.
4. Once the onions are ready, remove the sage and blend the cream with the onions into a smooth purée. Season to taste and set aside until required.
5. To prepare the pork loin, remove all of the sinew and bone from the meat and neatly trim the ends of the loin, reserving any scraps and bones to make a sauce. Vacuum seal^*3 the prepared loin and set aside. [Skip to steps 12 / 13 then return]
6. Preheat a water bath^*3 to 56°C. Cook the pork in the water bath for 1 hour, then refresh in iced water for 10 minutes.
7. Remove the pork loin from the bag and cut into neat 170g-180g portions.
8. Mix together the black pudding and minced pork, then divide into 6 even portions. Spread 1 portion onto a sheet of cling film to a 1cm thickness. Lay a portion of pork onto 1 end of the mix and roll the black pudding mix around the loin to create an even layer around the meat. Twist the ends of the cling film to seal, then wrap in another sheet of cling film and refrigerate until required. Repeat this process for the remaining 5 portions.
9. To prepare the hot suet pastry, place the flour and salt in a bowl. Meanwhile, melt the fat and water together in a pan. Make a well in the flour, then pour the water and fat into the well and mix thoroughly, working to form a paste. Leave to rest for half an hour.
10. Wash and blanch the chard leaves for the Wellington in salted boiling water for 1 minute, then remove and refresh in ice cold water. Drain and dry on absorbent kitchen towel before removing any large fibrous veins from the middle of each leaf.
11. Divide the pastry into 6 portions and shape each portion into a square. Roll out the pastry to a 3mm thickness, wide enough to easily cover a portion of the pork. Carefully remove the pork loin from the cling film and cover each piece of pastry with the chard leaves. Lay the pork onto the chard, and wrap the pork in the pastry, ensuring that the edges are completely sealed. Set aside on baking paper until required.
12. Preheat the oven to 190˚C / gas mark 5
13. To prepare the sauce, roast the reserved bones and scraps of meat in the oven until golden. Place in a stockpot, cover with chicken stock and simmer for 2 hours. Pass through a chinois^*4 into a clean pan and reduce to a sauce-like consistency. Add the star anise, thyme and sage and set aside to infuse.
14. To prepare the cabbage, blanch in salted boiling water, then drain and refresh in cold water.
15. Place a saucepan over a medium heat and sauté the lardons until they start to crisp up. No oil is required as the fat will render out the bacon. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until soft.
16. Once ready to serve, preheat the deep-fryer to 180°C and cook the Wellingtons for 8 minutes until golden.
17. Add the shallots and bacon to the cabbage and warm through, adding a knob of butter

To Serve:
Slice the Wellingtons into 3 even pieces, removing the pastry at the ends for a neater finish if desired. Serve with the crackling, onion purée, sauce and cabbage.