Pig...stuffed with mincemeat, sausagemeat, chestnuts and haggis...?

Few would turn eagerly to a recipe that involved spreading Pork Tenderloin with Mincemeat “like jam on bread”, crumbling Chestnuts into Sausagemeat, rolling the lot together and binding it...  Fewer still would think of adapting the recipe with the addition of Haggis.  The recipe is of course Hugh Fearnley-Wittingstall.  The adaptation my father’s own.  I missed the night of its inauguration, but was able to stab a fork into the leftovers this evening.

I am not a fan of Mincemeat.  That sweet fruity richness has me quite keeling over.  But, Mincemeat and Pork?  Unable to resist the medieval combination of meat and fruits, of savoury and sweets… at first bite, I was persuaded.  Mincemeat did, of course, traditionally contain meat – and much the better ‘twas for it!  Here, the addition of Haggis (M&M Rutlands' infamous variety) lessened the overbearing sweetness of the Mincemeat, and made of a slim tenderloin, a substantial feast.  Served with Apples, sliced and gently softened in butter, with garlic, coarse salt (Sel de Guérande) and black pepper, and a H F-W Cinnamon Cream (Cinnamon, pork juices and cream).  A stoic dish for the festive winter table.  I cannot but recommend.

The recipe (unadulterated) can be found on page 229 in the excellent River Cottage Meat Book.