Saffron Pork Wellington

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saffron wellington

Any decent foodie is probably at least aware of Gordon Ramsay’s signature beef wellington – beautiful dish that is deceivingly easy to make. But did you know that there are other ways to make this classic dish?

For my twist, I made pork wellington – which utilized saffron risotto and sauteed onions instead of mushroom pâté to surround my pork chops. You only need a few basic ingredients to make the perfect pork wellington.

The secret to the perfect pork wellington is having everything prepped before starting the risotto. Start by searing the pork chops on both sides until browned but don’t cook the pork chop all the way through – it’ll finish cooking in the oven. Then saute the onions in the same pan with a touch of butter. Once the onions are cooked, remove them from the pan then deglaze the pan with some white wine and start the risotto.

Once I finished cooking the filling, I let everything cool for a bit and used that time to finish thawing my puff pastry before assembling the dish. One sheet of puff pastry should be enough to make two portions.

Layer on the risotto, followed by the onions and the pork, then top the pork with more risotto and onions. Wrap the pork in the pastry tightly and tuck all the seams together on the bottom. There should be no risotto or pork showing through the pastry.

One of the most important steps to help the pork wellingtons keep there shapes is to wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then chill for about an hour to help everything ‘set’ together and firm up the pastry.

You can also make the pork wellingtons a day ahead of time, as long as they are properly chilled!

When ready to cook the pork wellington, unwrap them them and brush with an egg wash to help achieve a golden, crispy crust.

I served my pork wellingtons on a thin spread of herb cream cheese (because why not!). This dish made us feel fancy AF without needing to go to a fancy restaurant or dress up to do so.

saffron pork wellington

Saffron Pork Wellington

The Starving Chef
Pork wellington with a saffron risotto and sauted onions with mushroom pâté.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Rest Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Date Night, Pork
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 2 thick-cut pork chops
  • 1 cup aborio rice
  • 1 teaspoon saffron threads
  • 3 cups water
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 sweet onion chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 sheet puff pastry
  • 2 tablespoons water + 1 egg whisked
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • garlic & chive cream cheese for serving

Instructions
 

  • Start thawing the puff pasty on a flat surface. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the pork chops, sear for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. Only cook until the internal temperature reaches 120-130F. Remove from the skillet and set aside to cool. Season with salt and pepper.
  • In the same pan, without cleaning, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter. Toss in the chopped onion and saute until tender and beginning to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Remove the onions from the pan and set aside to cool.
  • Deglaze the pan with the white wine and scrape up any brown bits. When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the arborio rice. Cook in the wine until browned, about 1-2 minutes, then add the water, 1/4 cup at a time, letting the liquid cook off each time before adding the next 1/4 cup. After the second 1/4 cup, add the saffron threads. The rice will turn yellow. Repeat until about 2-3 cups of water have been used and the rice is tender and golden in color. It will start to crisp on the bottom. The rice will take about 30 minutes from start to finish.
  • Remove the rice from heat and let cool until no longer steaming. Unfold the puff pastry and let it finish thawing while the rice cools.
  • Transfer the thawed puff pastry to a cutting board. Cut the puff pastry in half for two rectangle shaped pieces. Use a rolling pin to smooth out any creases on each piece. Try not to roll too thin.
  • Evenly distribute about 1/2 cup of risotto onto each rectangle of pastry, leaving about a 1-2 inch boarder of pastry all around the risottto. Spoon the onions evenly across the rice then place the cooked pork chop on top so that they are centered on the puff pastries. Spoon the remaining risotto on the top of the pork chops. You may not use all of the risotto, so take care not to over fill the pastries.
  • Wrap the pastry across the pork chops so they are completely encased inside. Tuck the edges until and pinch together to help seal the pastry. Tightly wrap each pork wellington in plastic wrap and chill for at least 25 minutes.
  • When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400 F. Whisk together the egg and two tablespoons of water. Remove the plastic wrap from around the pork wellingtons. Place them on a parchment or silicone lined mat. Brush each with the egg wash then place in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the pork has reached an internal temp of 160 F and the puff pastry is golden brown.
  • Let the pork wellingtons rest outside of the oven for about 10 minutes prior to serving. Spread about a tablespoon of the garlic herb cream cheese on a plate and place the pork wellington on top. Garnish with fresh parsley, as desired. Enjoy!
Keyword pork, puff pastry, saffron
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