Moroccan-Spiced Pork with White Bean Mash

After making a leg of lamb over the holidays, I now know why I don't often buy a big piece of meat ... we end up eating it for days! Therefore I usually have a pork fillet in the freezer as this is the perfect amount of meat for just two people, also it is very versatile. The last couple of times I had one to use up, however, I was so totally without inspiration that I plumped for making Pork Stroganoff with Three Mustards yet again! just to get something tasty on the table without driving myself mad. So I felt a trawl through my favourite online recipe sites was called for to try and find something new. This recipe for pork fillet on the Waitrose site caught my eye as it's nice 'n' easy and healthy too, although the use of Ras el Hanout is most probably the only thing Moroccan about it. Also I liked the idea of the bean mash which is something I saw Nigella do recently to accompany a steak in Nigella Express.

Well this was a doddle to make. I have a small cast iron pan that is ideal for this kind of dish that starts off on the hob and then goes into the oven, so that is what I used. While the pork was roasting I prepared the bean mash in a wide heavy skillet and wilted a pan of spinach leaves to serve on the side.

Absolutely delicious! The Ras el Hanout gives the pork a nice kick of flavour, and the honey added at the last minute to create a little jus to drizzle over everything is just wonderful. Definitely one for my recipe folder and I think a contender for "Quick Midweek" also as it takes just over thirty minutes to make. It would make a great supper dish when entertaining friends too.

Moroccan-Spiced Pork with White Bean Mash - Serves 2

350g pork fillet
1½ tspn Ras el Hanout
2 tspn olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 stick celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
410g can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
½ tspn chopped fresh lemon thyme, plus extra to garnish
1 Tbsp clear honey

Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Trim any fat from the pork and dust with a little salt and the Ras el Hanout. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a small frying pan and sear the pork on all sides until browned. Transfer to a small roasting tin and roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes until the fillet is thoroughly cooked and there is no pink meat.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining teaspoon of oil in the frying pan. Add the onion and celery, and fry gently for about 5 minutes until very soft, but not browned.

Add the garlic and cannellini beans, and scatter with the lemon thyme. Cook very gently for 5 minutes until heated through. Add 3 tablespoons of warm water and crush the beans using a potato masher.

Pile the bean mixture onto warmed serving plates. Cut the pork into chunky slices and arrange on the mash. Stir the honey into the juices left in the tin then spoon the sauce over the meat. Scatter with extra thyme. Serve with green vegetables.

Cook's note: I didn't have any lemon thyme, nor any fresh thyme either as my plant has just died unfortunately. However I did have some local wild thyme that I'd dried in the summer and so used that instead, and added a lemony note by squeezing a few drops of lemon juice into the pan with the honey.

When gently frying the onion and celery, I added a teaspoon of butter and some salt and freshly ground black pepper to make the bean mash more tasty.