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