Serves 4
Preparation method
1.Preheat the oven to 100C/210F, or to its lowest setting.
2.For the black pudding crumble, chop the black pudding into 1cm/½in pieces and scatter evenly on a baking tray. Bake in the oven for two hours, or until the black pudding pieces are completely dried out and crumble easily. Allow to cool completely, then crumble the black pudding into a bowl with your fingers.
3.For the pork fillet, wrap each of the pork fillets separately in cling film. Place the fillets into individual vacuum pack bags, seal, then place into a water bath set at 62C/144F for 18 minutes.
4.Remove the pork fillets from the bags and discard the cling film. Set aside until needed.
5.Increase the oven temperature to 130C/265F/Gas ½.
6.For the vanilla-dipped potatoes, place the potatoes into an ovenproof square glass dish and add the vanilla pods, vanilla seeds and enough light rapeseed oil to cover the potatoes completely. Cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender and can be easily pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes, reserving a few tablespoons of the vanilla oil for serving.
7.For the vegetables, melt half of the butter in a pan until foaming and fry theJerusalemartichokes for 2-3 minutes, or until golden, then cover with chicken stock and simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until tender. Remove theJerusalemartichokes from the stock and blend until smooth in a food processor. If the mixture is too thick, add a splash of the cooking stock and blend again. Pass the purée through a fine sieve into a bowl and set aside.
8.Melt the remaining butter in a heavy-based pan over a low heat until foaming, then place the asparagus spears flat in the pan and turn the temperature up to medium. Simmer the asparagus gently in the melted butter, adding a splash of water to prevent the butter from burning. Cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender but with a bit of bite.
9.For the glazed pear, place all of the pear ingredients except for the pear and butter into a pan and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, then add the pear and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the pear is tender. Remove from the pan and slice into quarters.
10.Melt the butter in a frying pan until foaming, then fry the pear quarters for 2-3 minutes on all sides, or until golden-brown all over. Set aside and keep warm.
11.For the red wine sauce, melt the butter in a pan until foaming and fry the shallots for 2-3 minutes, or until softened. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and garlic, then stir in the herbs and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the red wine and cook over a high heat for 5-6 minutes, or until almost all of the wine has evaporated. Add the beef stock to the pan and simmer for 30 minutes, then pass the liquid through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced to a sauce consistency, then season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
12.For the pork fillet, heat the oil in a pan until smoking, then add the cooked pork fillets and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning the pork over occasionally, until golden-brown all over. Set aside to rest for five minutes, then carve each fillet into four equal portions.
13.To serve, spread a spoonful of the Jerusalem artichoke purée onto each of four serving plates and arrange three discs of potato each on top. Place two pieces of pork fillet on either side of the potato discs on each plate. Arrange three asparagus spears each on the other side of the plate, then rest one quarter of glazed pear across the asparagus. Sprinkle over the black pudding crumble, then garnish with the Tahoon cress. Drizzle over a little bit of the reserved vanilla oil from the potatoes, then pour the red wine sauce around the plate.