Pork Loin with Paprika Spiced Potatoes, Morcilla, Red Peppers and Alioli

By Stephen Parkins-Knight
Posted Tuesday, August 9, 2005

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Lomo de Cerdo, Patatas con Pimenton, Morcilla, Pimientos Asados y Alioli
Pork Loin with Paprika Spiced Potatoes, Morcilla, Red Peppers and Alioli

This dish embraces the magic quality of Spanish ingredients. A simple loin of pork served with a textural delight of potatoes, sweet peppers, ripe tomatoes and the gorgeous spicy black pudding the Spanish call Morcilla. As pork loin is low in fat don’t feel too guilty when adding a good spoonful or three of fresh alioli.

Preparation and cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 6

Ingredients:
500g pork tenderloin, trimmed
40ml olive oil
2 tsp smoked sweet paprika
500g new potatoes, cooked and lightly crushed
6 Morcilla sausages, each sliced into 3 at an angle lengthways
15g rosemary, chopped
1 onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp tomato puree
10g thyme leaves, chopped
60ml dry sherry
6 ripe tomatoes, chopped
6 Piquello peppers, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
250ml chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F, Gas mark 5. Brush the pork loin with a little olive oil and dust with a teaspoon of paprika and seasoning. Keep to one side.

For the paprika spiced potatoes, pour half the olive oil in a large oven tray and place in the oven to heat. Add the potatoes, Morcilla sausage, smoked paprika and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper, shake well to coat everything and return to the oven for 20–25 minutes, shaking occasionally.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining olive oil in a medium saucepan and gently fry the onions and garlic until slightly soft. Add the tomato puree and thyme and cook for a minute before adding the sherry. Then add the tomatoes, Piquello peppers, bay leaf and stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Heat a frying pan until very hot. Sear the pork until brown on all sides, approx 4–5 minutes. Transfer the pork to the oven, placing on top of the potatoes for a further 8 minutes. Remove and allow the pork to rest for 5 minutes before carving.

To serve
On 6 warm plates divide the potatoes and Morcilla then add a dollop of the tomatoes and peppers. Slice the pork loin thinly, allowing 4–6 slices per portion. Finish with a spoonful of alioli. Perfectly complemented with a glass or three of good Rioja.

Finally just in case you were wondering what to serve it with, look no further. See the recipe for Sabitxada (Es-cal-la-ba-da) the pepper and almond dressing not dissimilar to the famous Spanish sauce, romesco. This particular dish combines smoky, salty, bitter and herby flavours, which compliment the tuna and cry out for sabitxada and a glass or two of chilled white Rioja.

Copyright: Stephen Parkins-Knight

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