Pork can easily be overcooked and dry, especially a lean cut like a fillet. Marinating it in buttermilk tenderises the meat, making it very mild and juicy. And not every white sauce has to be cream based; I am using regular milk here, but with a few simple tricks (and a bit of cheese!), a beautifully silky smooth sauce can be achieved.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time30 minutesmins
Marinating Time1 dayd
Total Time1 dayd40 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Western
Keyword: buttermilk, green pepper, milk, pork
Ingredients
350mlbuttermilk
½teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonpepper
1teaspoonmustard
1pork fillet
30mlExtra virgin olive oil
Peppercorn sauce
15gunsalted butter
1tablespoonflour
130mlfull cream milkwarm
60mlvegetable stock
½teaspoonmustard
2tablespoonsgreen peppercorns in brine
25gvintage cheddargrated
salt to taste
Instructions
Marinade pork fillet in buttermilk, salt, pepper and mustard overnight, or better, for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan forced 180°C). Take fillet out of the marinade and pad dry before searing it on all sides in olive oil in a hot cast iron skillet. Slide into the hot oven and roast for 10-15 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 65°C for a medium finish. Rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
For the peppercorn sauce, melt butter in a small saucepan on low heat. Gradually add flour and whisk to a paste. Make sure no flour lumps remain. Cook another 2 minutes before slowly pouring in warm milk. Keep stirring to combine.
Once smooth, add the stock, mustard and drained peppercorns. Simmer until the sauce covers the back of a spoon. If too thick, add more stock. At the last minute, stir in cheddar cheese until melted into the sauce. Season with salt.
Serve the fillet sliced with peppercorn sauce poured over the top.
Tip: Make a quick buttermilk by mixing 300ml of Australian milk with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice. Let it sit for 15 minutes to curdle, then use in lieu of store-bought buttermilk.