Pip's Pork Tenderloin with Forager's Stuffing.

Food featured quite high on the planned list of weekend activities though I was almost scuppered as there was little in the cupboards/fridge and the idea of shopping just didn't appeal. A rummage through The Ark Royal (our chest freezer) revealed some pork tenderloin steaks of various shapes and sizes - hmm, what to do to make it into a delicious meal? Off I set into the depths of our garden with my bowl and a trusty pair of scissors to hand with high hopes that there would be something I could use. A wander and a forage later, and a goodly bowlful of mixed herbs were snipped and ready to go.

I gathered some bunches of wild garlic, both the flowers and leaves, and a couple of bunches of chives. I needed these alliums as the shopping situation was so dire I didn't even have an onion left in the veg box (and you know how I just love onions) Large snippings of both lemon and ordinary thyme, parsley, oregano, golden marjoram, rosemary and sage were added with some nettle tops to add a bit of body to the mix. How beautiful do all those herbs look together and don't even get me started on the aromas drifting on the air with each snip of the scissors.

So, thus far I had mixed herbs and pork ...

Time for a cup of my favourite nettle tea in one of our gorgeous Falmouth Seagull Teacups designed and hand painted by the fabulously talented Laura Lee who is also in Cornwall! Do pop over and see her gorgeous work of which we are building quite a collection.

Back to the food and I decided to make stuffing by adding a duck egg (thank you Pecan) and some breadcrumbs made from three slices of stale bread to the roughly chopped herbs and threw in some chopped sunflower seeds for a bit more texture.

Here is the egg (!!!)

After also adding enormous slugs of olive oil and mixing thoroughly, I then spread the stuffing onto the pork pieces which I had previously bashed with a rolling pin to flatten slightly. I trussed each piece in a somewhat haphazard fashion to stop them falling apart in the cooking process and drenched with more oil before placing in a warmed oven at gas mark 4 for just over an hour, basting every so often with the meat juices.

And it came out looking like this! Golden, fragrant and tender as can be.

Succulent slices of the tenderest meat wrapped around scrumptiously scented herbs and seeds.

It really was very good and all the troops agreed, hence it is now written into our family Bible (our recipe stash)for future use, though truthfully this recipe could be changed according to what you have on hand - dried apricots, toasted hazlenuts, different herbs...all would be great.

So there you have it: Pip's Pork Tenderloin with Forager's Stuffing. What did you have for Sunday lunch? x

The Calm of a Garden

Few words today

but a quick trot around our garden which is burgeoning in the warm sun.

Showers are frequent and heavy , but then it is April after all.

These pictures were taken yesterday afternoon as I fed the livestock and was drawn by the play of golden light on the shadier parts of the whole.

I have written before of my love of this time of day where calm descends on the garden for just a moment before the dinnertime rush calls me inside once more. I love calm.

Even the hens and ducks quieten for a while.

Forget-me-nots, vivid red tulips, soft honesty and verdant green leaf are all around with blossoms opening on a higher level.

It is all very lovely and will hopefully become even lovelier over the coming weeks.

Have a lovely weekend xx

Snapshots of an Easter.

Ages since I've popped by and yet again I have missed this little space. Holiday time is so full of good things and yet this is one thing I cannot always make time for in the family bedlam that is the Easter holidays. Never mind, here are some snapshots of a Cornish Easter - well, the one we had anyhow. There was wonderful sunshine and trips to the beach to jump in icy waves.

Fishing

Peering in rockpools and looking at sea life

Games with big sister with the breeze whipping up the girls as much as the waves.

There were jugs and cups and vases of flowers all grown in our own garden and perfuming the whole house with their beautiful perfume.

The cutting patch in the front garden is coming to an end but a new one has been planted in the back garden ready to keep us going all through summer. I have grown to like these strange orange edged daffodils as long as they are popped into the bottle with a few other types to soften the glow.

Even Tiger-Lily enjoyed sniffing the pretty blooms.

And then there were trips to the beach

Jumping in icy waves

Playing with big sis...

You get the picture

I'll leave it there for now but there was also chocolate (of course), huge meals, sitting in the courtyard, family visiting, gardening .. Hmm, I said I would leave it didn't I! x