Pork fillet with ratatouille and balsamic sauce

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 pork fillet(s)
• 8 slices of Serrano ham
• 1 pack of Italian herbs, frozen
• 3 zucchinis
• 2 carrots
• 1 eggplant(s)
• 2 pointed peppers
• 100 g cherry tomatoes
• 2 potatoes
• 1 onion(s)
• 4 strips of garlic clove(s)
• 100 ml balsamic vinegar, dark
• 100 ml olive oil
• 5 pinches of sugar
• 3 rosemary sprigs
• 1 bunch basil, fresh
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 100 ml tomatoes, pureed
• 4 tbsp mustard
• salt and pepper
• 100 ml red wine, strong

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces. Brown them one at a time in a pan, but do not cook them completely. Add the fried vegetables to a pot. Finally, add the onion and 2 cloves of garlic to the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and let it roast slightly. Deglaze with a little wine and add it to the pot. Add some passata and about half of the herbs. Set everything aside for now. Trim the pork fillet. Place the Serrano ham on a piece of cling film, overlapping slightly. Spread a thin layer of mustard over the ham, sprinkle with about half of the remaining herbs, salt, and pepper. Place the fillet on one side of the ham and wrap it, peeling off the film while wrapping. Preheat the oven to 80°C (top/bottom heat) and heat an ovenproof dish. Meanwhile, sear the fillet on all sides in a heavy-based pan with the remaining garlic and the rosemary sprigs. Then insert a meat thermometer into the center of the fillet and place the fillet in the preheated ovenproof dish in the oven. When the internal temperature reaches 60°C, the meat is done and still nice and pink on the inside. Cooking times can vary slightly, so check the thermometer frequently. You may also want to cook at even lower temperatures. Add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste to the pan and fry it lightly. Then simmer the meat in the pan with a strong red wine and balsamic vinegar. I do this by eye, so I’m not giving any specific quantities here. Add some chopped fresh rosemary. This dish only calls for a few dollops of sauce, so use the ingredients sparingly. Let everything simmer gently, adding a little beef broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, bring the ratatouille back to a boil and season with salt, pepper, and sugar, making sure the vegetables don’t overcook. Only then add the quartered cherry tomatoes and heat through. Once the desired internal temperature is reached, remove the meat from the oven and let it rest for a moment under aluminum foil. Then carve the meat and arrange it on plates with the ratatouille. Finally, drizzle the meat with a little sauce. It should never be swimming in the sauce. Sprinkle some chopped basil over the ratatouille.