Garlic and sage pork cutlets with pears

SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 40 MINUTES

4 medium (920g) pears

2 cloves garlic, crushed

14 medium fresh sage leaves

⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

4 x 250g pork cutlets with rind on, rind scored in 5mm slices

⅓ cup (80ml) dry sherry

1kg baby desiree potatoes, halved lengthways

40g mixed baby salad leaves 2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 Preheat oven to 200°C

(180°C fan-forced).

2 Halve and quarter pears.

3 Using a mortar and pestle, pound garlic and 6 sage leaves to a paste. Stir in half the oil; season to taste.

Rub mixture over pork.

4 Heat remaining oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over high heat; cook pork, rind side down, for 2 minutes or until crisp. Cook pork a further 1 minute on each side or until browned. Transfer to a plate.

5 Cook remaining sage in same pan for 30 seconds or until crisp; drain on paper towel.

6 Add 1 tablespoon sherry to same pan; cook, scraping the sediments off base of pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium. Add pear; cook for 2 minutes each side or until golden. Add remaining sherry and potato; stir for 1 minute or until potato is coated.

7 Transfer pan to oven; roast for 10 minutes or until pears are cooked. Remove pears; cover to keep warm. Add pork to pan; roast pork and potato mixture for a further 10 minutes or until potato is tender and pork is just cooked through. Season to taste.

8 Combine salad leaves and juice in a medium bowl; season to taste.

9 Serve potato and pears topped with pork, sage leaves and salad mixture.

Not suitable to freeze or microwave.